Harry Potter and the Path Not Chosen
by Dezmar
Summary: Book 1 out of 7 in my rewrite of the series. During his trip to Diagon Alley, Harry meets a young blonde boy starting Hogwarts as well. Harry quickly befriends him and figures he might as well be in same house as him. Slytherin!Harry, NON-Slash, "Ron-Bashing"?,
1. Draco Malfoy

It had been the most eventful day in Harry's life. It all started with a letter addressed to Mr. H Potter. It even knew he was in the cupboard under the stairs. Then his aunt and uncle made them leave the house. This only brought Hagrid into his life. It was Hagrid that told him that he was a Wizard.

Now he was entering 'Madam Malkin's, robes for all occasions' to get his school uniform for Hogwarts, where we was to learn Witchcraft and Wizardry.

In the back of the shop, a boy with a pale, pointed face was standing on a footstool while a second witch pinned up his long black robes. Madam Malkin stood Harry on a stool next to him, slipped a long robe over Harry's head, and began to pin it to the right length.

"Hello," said the boy, "Hogwarts, too?"

"Yes," said Harry.

"My father's next door buying my books and mother's up the street looking at wands," said the boy. He had a bored, drawling voice.

"I can't wait to get my wand." Harry said excitedly as his arms were lifted and the sleeves adjusted. "To be able to do actual magic."

The other boy nodded but had a odd look on his face. "Your parents went to Hogwarts right?" he asked with a certain worry in his voice.

Harry remembered that Hagrid had told him that it was where they 'learned it all'. "Yeah, both my Parents when to Hogwarts." Harry said with a sad tone. "They died when I was a baby. I lived with my aunt and uncle until yesterday, when I found out about magic. They hate magic and never told me. I think it's all quite wonderful." Harry had to remind himself that other people didn't have the same opinion as him. This boy clearly grew up with magic.

The other boy sneered. "So your parents were our kind, and you were raised by Muggles?" he said shaking his head. "That's not right. Keeping a young wizard away from magic like that. With filthy muggles no less." Draco sneered at the thought. "Well if you're anything like me you'll find yourself in Slytherin. House of the ambitious."

Harry didn't know that Hogwarts had school houses, but liked the sound of a house of ambition folks. "I don't see why not." Harry said not sure what his response should be.

The boy smiled. "Tell you what, find me on the Hogwarts Express and I'll tell you all about it." He said as he stepped off the stool. "Draco Malfoy." he said offering his hand.

Harry smiled and shook his hand. "Harry Potter." The witch working on Harry's measurements squeaked and dropped the tape measure and then immediately picked it up and continued as if nothing happened.

Draco paused. "Harry Potter?" He asked astounded. "Well, I had heard you were my age, but I guess I didn't put two and two together." Draco adjusted his collar.

Harry shrugged. "Yeah, my birthday just passed a few days ago." Harry said.

Draco nodded. "Well you should consider getting an owl then and pick it out yourself, just to be certain." Draco said reaching for a his coat. "I know my father complains about all the letters he has to respond to around his birthday. I imagine you might get a fair deal of birthday wishes now that you're back in the public eye."

Harry nodded. "Like an owl for post. Yeah. I might just do that," he said liking the idea of a pet owl. "Where would I get one?" Harry asked embarrassed he didn't already know.

Draco just smiled. "Well it depends on how exotic you want. There's Eeylops Owl Emporium here in Diagon Alley." Draco said motion out the door. "But if you want to get something different." He stopped to make sure no one was listening in on their conversation. "There's a store called Braggart's Bizarre Bazaar in Knockturn Alley. It's not a place you'd want to go alone though."

Harry nodded and looked serious. "I'm not alone, so I should be fine." Harry said in a lowered voice. "They sell animals at this bazaar?" he asked not sure if a wizard bazaar was the same as a muggle bazaar.

"I've only been there a few times when Father is trying to sell certain things he can't be seen with." Draco said, even quieter than before. "Father made sure I didn't touch anything and I stayed away from the glass." Draco made it sound so mysterious and appealing.

"Well I must find my parents before they begin to worry." Draco said fastening the top button on his coat, but none of the other buttons. "I hope to see you at Platform 9 ¾, Harry Potter." Draco said before exiting Madam Malkin's.

Harry was rather quiet as he ate ice cream Hagrid bought him. His mind was stirring with ideas and realizing how much more will the other students know compared to him.

"What's up?" said Hagrid

"Nothing." Harry lied. They stopped to buy parchment and quills, cheering Harry up a bit when he found a bottle of ink that changed color as you wrote. When they had left the shop, he said, "Hagrid, what's Quidditch?"

"Blimey, Harry, I keep forgettin' how little yeh know, not knowin' about Quidditch!"

"Another boy was getting his robes brought it up. He's starting Hogwarts soon like me. He said he'd explain it on the train." Harry said stirring at his ice cream. "Hagrid, do people usually know about these things? Am I gonna get to Hogwarts and be put into remedial classes?" Harry started jabbing his spoon at his ice cream.

Hagrid huffed and stroked his beard. "Not at all 'Arry. There'll be plenty of Muggleborn Witches and Wizards there." Hagrid said. "There'll be loads of First Years that know just as much as you. Yeh got nothing to worry 'bout 'Arry."

Harry smiled weakly. He was feeling better about it, but still wasn't completely satisfied. "What about Quidditch?" Harry asked.

"It's our sport. Wizard sport. It's like — like soccer in the Muggle world — everyone follows

Quidditch — played up in the air on broomsticks and there's four balls — sorta hard ter explain

the rules."

They bought Harry's school books in a shop called Flourish and Blotts where the shelves were stacked to the ceiling with books as large as paving stones bound in leather; books the size of postage stamps in covers of silk; books full of peculiar symbols and a few books with nothing in them at all. Even Dudley, who never read anything, would have been wild to get his hands on some of these. Hagrid almost had to drag Harry away from Curses and Countercurses (Bewitch Your Friends and Befuddle Your Enemies with the Latest Revenges: Hair Loss, Jelly-Legs, Tongue-Tying and Much, Much More) by Professor Vindictus Viridian.

"I was trying to find out how to curse Dudley."

"I'm not sayin' that's not a good idea, but yer not ter use magic in the Muggle world except in very special circumstances," said Hagrid. "An' anyway, yeh couldn' work any of them curses yet, yeh'll need a lot more study before yeh get ter that level." Hagrid wouldn't let Harry buy a solid gold cauldron, either ("It says pewter on yer list"), but they got a nice set of scales for weighing potion ingredients and a collapsible brass telescope.

Then they visited the Apothecary, which was fascinating enough to make up for its horrible smell, a mixture of bad eggs and rotted cabbages. Barrels of slimy stuff stood on the floor; jars of herbs, dried roots, and bright powders lined the walls; bundles of feathers, strings of fangs, and snarled claws hung from the ceiling. While Hagrid asked the man behind the counter for a supply of some basic potion ingredients for Harry, Harry himself examined silver unicorn horns at twenty-one Galleons each and minuscule, glittery-black beetle eyes (five Knuts a scoop).

Outside the Apothecary, Hagrid checked Harry's list again. "Just yer wand left — A yeah, an' I still haven't got yeh a birthday present." Harry felt himself go red. "You don't have to —"

"I know I don't have to. Tell yeh what, I'll get yer animal. Not a toad, toads went outta fashion years ago, yeh'd be laughed at — an' I don' like cats, they make me sneeze. I'll get yer an owl.

All the kids want owls, they're dead useful, carry yer mail an' everythin'."

Harry was joyous at the opportunity to get an owl, but realised something. If everyone wanted or already had an owl, then his would be nothing special. He wanted something, bizarre. "That's great Hagrid, but." Harry seemed to lose his voice for a moment. "Well, what if I wanted something different from an owl?" he asked forcing himself to regain his confidence.

"Whacha' mean Arry?" Hagrid asked as they walked through the crowds of people parting way for Hagrid's size. "Yeh could get a crow or a raven, but the lack the size of an owl. Can't carry much more than a few letters. No real parcels really."

Harry nodded. He hadn't thought of that before. "Well what about Bragforth's Bizarre Bazar? Harry asked. "I heard about it from another boy starting Hogwarts. He said it would have more exotic animals." Harry instantly regretted bringing it up when he noticed Hagrid's sour expression.

Hagrid frowned and silently blustered. His mustache flittered from his exhale. "Harry, Diagon Alley is safe enough and all, but Bragforth's shop is in Knockturn Alley." Hagrid explained in a whispered tone. "I'm no stranger to Bragforth, but that's cause of me job. I've got to know dangerous creatures and the lot. I'm no stranger to a lot of them rougher creatures that surround Hogwarts and Bragforth knows his stuff."

Harry silently nodded. Hagrid had been friendly and courteous their entire journey together, Harry hadn't assumed that Hagrid might have a more dangerous job due to his size. Now that Harry thought about it, Hagrid could wrestle dragons as far as Harry knew.

Hagrid stroked his beard in frustration. "If you're dead set on going, I'll tell you what." Hagrid said clearly not liking the idea of bringing Harry into Knockturn Alley. "We'll get you your wand, and if its not too dark out, I'll bring you to the Bazar. But no promises."

Harry smiled He'd see about getting his wand as quickly as possible.

END CHAPTER


	2. Bragforth's Bizarre Bazaar

Harry exited Ollivander's with an uncertain feeling of apprehension. His wand felt heavier than he thought it would. Something about the possibility it represented to him. Just outside he found Hagrid waiting for him.

"So, how'd it go?" Hagrid asked as he absentmindedly gripped his umbrella. "Y'ah always remember your first wand." Harry had a sneaking suspicion that Hagrid wand was his umbrella.

Harry pulled out his new Holly and Phoenix feather wand. "Its wonderful." Harry said still admiring it. "So can we go to the Bazar now or is it too late?" he asked trying not to sound too pathetic. A little acting wouldn't hurt. He could see the dilemma on Hagrid brow.

There was a few seconds of intense silence before Hagrid let out a rather large sigh. "Fine, let's see if Bragforth has anything that you'd like." Hagrid said leading Harry further into Diagon Alley. "But remember Harry, Knockturn Alley isn't always a friendly place. I'm gonna need you to listen to me and stick close." Hagrid had taken a knee to talk to Harry, but was still towering over him.

An older witch passing by glared at Hagrid and muttered under her breath about him taking up so much room in the alley. "I understand Hagrid." Harry said looking Hagrid in the eye. "I'll be careful."

They walked in silence through Diagon Alley as Hagrid led them to the entrance to Knockturn Alley. Had Hagrid not known where to go, Harry would have surely missed the inconspicuous side street that led into Knockturn Alley. As soon as they entered the smaller more dilapidated neighbourhood of magical London it seemed to get darker. The buildings seemed taller and closer together, allowing less light into the street.

Harry was still in awe of the commonplace of Magic. In Knockturn Alley they seemed to have different Magics on display. None of which Harry knew anything about. Before long Hagrid stopped and pointed out a unremarkable store front with a small sign. "Bragforth's Bizarre Bazar."

"Go on Arry. I'll wait outside." Hagrid said giving Harry a gentle push in the store's direction.

As soon as Harry walk in the door he knew he'd find what he was looking for here. So many weird and dangerous creature behind glass cases, and metal cages. They all seem so fascinating. "And how may I help you today young man" said a voice that chilled Harry's skin a little.

Harry turned around and saw a old lean man, peering around a large empty cage. He was dress like nothing Harry had ever seen, even in his short while in the wizarding world had he ever seen someone dress like him.

He had a tight greenish-black coat with the collar turned up, it almost reached this mans ears. His hands were covered by a pair of gloves that seem to be like a second skin, but the turned outward at the wrist reminding you that they were indeed gloves.

"Young man?" he said breaking Harry out of his examination of this man. "Is there something particular that you're looking for, or would you just like to peruse my collection" he said in a scary voice, but ended it with a sincere smile, confusing Harry.

"I'm looking for an owl, or at least something I could use for an owl" Harry said starting to regret his decision to come to the Bazaar first.

"An owl you say, I see, first year at Hogwarts, yes"? the old man asked looking towards the door then moving behind the counter. He pulled a very thin book out and started flipping through the pages.

"Uhm, yes sir" Harry said wondering what this man was looking at.

"Ohh, what this, sir, there's no "sir" business here, names Bragforth, Bragforth Taxidurman, and who might you be?" Bragforth asked looking at Harry now.

"Harry Potter" he said wondering if it was a good idea.

"Really be, Harry Potter in my humble establishment" Bragforth said in a light chuckle.

"So an owl you say, or a reasonable facsimile, lets see what I can do. Not many owls here I would feel right selling you" Bragforth said leading Harry through the shelves. "Sad to say but most the owls I keep are just food for some of my more, unique specimens."

Harry's attention was caught by what appeared to be a Squirrel with a scorpion tail. He leaned closer and was frightened when it charged the glass and hissed at him. "No, I don't think old Vanessa would be right for you." Bragforth said ushering Harry further along the aisle.

They reached the end of the first aisle when the store opened out a little to have many strange items on display. Bragforth kept walking but something stopped Harry. Only a few feet from where he was standing Harry saw a large black egg about two-thirds the size of an Ostrich's egg. On the stand was a plake with the Inscription "myrrh he held in his hands prefigured the death of the Son of man - Balthazar"

He didn't know why but it was calling to him, he could feel something inside whisper for him. "I see you found one of my rarest items" Bragforth said leaning over Harry's shoulder. "That is an egg of a Orobo-Raven. It is said that only the one who speaks its tongue can hatch it" Bragforth said proudly, "there are only four in the history books and I own the fifth, but until it hatches its nothing but an egg".

Harry leaned in a little more. "Is that why I've been hearing whispering coming from it"? Harry asked. Bragforth looked at Harry with shock and intrigue.

"You can hear it whisper you say?" Bragforth whispered. If the boy really could hear it, that would mean something grave, very grave indeed.

"Well yeah, can't you"? Harry asked simply wondering. Harry looked up at Bragforth with slightly toppled glasses. After years of being on the end of Vernon's cruel punishments and Dudley's beatings, he seemed not to noticed that they were askew

"Not at all" Bragforth said, "That means one thing, something you must tell no one. It would mean heavy consequences', do you understand me young Harry Potter"? Harry was scarred but nodded. "It means you're a Speaker of Serpents, Talker of Scales, Harry you're a Parseltounge" Bragforth said smiling.

"Try and talk to it, ask it its name" Bragforth suggested. Harry felt apprehensive and frankly a little stupid talking to an egg, but it was an egg that was whispering to him.

"What's your name"? Harry asked feeling nothing, then he looked to Bragforth who looked at him with wide eyes, "what, it didn't work, so now what"? Bragforth laughed, and then patted Harry on the back.

"Harry Potter you weren't speaking English, to your ears it might seem like you were, but believe me, you were not" Bragforth said smiling.

Harry was about to say something when the large black egg started to move. Harry just stared at it. It started cracking and pealing away. Then in a flash of green and black. The flash was bright and loud, so much that Harry had to turn away.

When he looked back the egg was gone. Harry was amazed, in front of him was something that had the shape of a bird, but was in no conceivably meaning of the word this was not a bird.

In place of feathers were scales, in place of a beak were a forked tongue, and in place of a fan bird like tail, was a long snake's tail. Its head was exactly that of a King Cobra. Its eyes opened and stared at Harry intently.

"Are you my Speaker"? The Orobo-Raven hissed at Harry. Although there was almost no actual motion to its lips, but the words came out as clear as a bell.

"I guess so, I mean I'm speaking with you now aren't I" Harry said back. The Orobo-Raven bowed to him, Harry nodded back.

"Do you have a name for me"? The Orobo-raven asked with a certain impatience about it.

Harry was rather embarrassed for not even thinking of a name before hand. He casually looked around and noticed the plake again. "I'll call you Balthazar." Harry said

Balthazar arrogantly looked away, and then back to Harry. "It will do, I guess" Balthazar said with a snide tone. Harry beamed at his new pet and turned to Bragforth.

Bragforth had never seen anything like it. He had seen wizards try to speak to the egg, none had succeeded. He had even had a man with an English to Parseltongue dictionary, which Bragforth thought was ridiculous.

Over the decades no one had ever even come close, but now this small, eleven year old boy had just done what and a decades worth of wizard had spent years trying to do in mere minutes. "Mr. Bragforth, you ok?" Harry asked looking at the man perplexed.

Bragforth had not noticed but his mouth had been open the whole time and still was. "Ohh, right, yes my boy, I'm quite alright" Bragforth said trying to regain his composure.

"I don't think you heard me, but I said I'll take him, how much?" Harry said holding his money pouch. Bragforth was sure of something that he thought of when the small boy told him his name. Harry Potter was going to be a Force to be reckon with. Bragforth knew that he wanted to be on friendly terms with such a force.

"For you my boy" Bragforth said looking thoughtful, but with a smile. "I think for, it's on the house" Bragforth said with a kind smile that seem to contradict the dark posture, tone, and clothing.

"What, but why?" Harry asked. "Not that I'm not grateful, but why, you don't even know me". Bragforth smile kindly again, with his wand he summoned a stool and sat down.

"For that magnificent creature, there are only three thing that you can give me for it" Bragforth said looking at the ceiling. "Number one. Make it hatch; well you've done that. Seeing an Orobo-Raven hatch is something that is too rare in it entirety, and you Harry have given me that pleasure" Bragforth said in a happy tone. "Number two. This is something I hope has already happened, call me friend, ok?" Bragforth asked with a pleading smile.

"Of course" Harry said grinning, "but what's the third, you said three things?" Bragforth nodded.

"Indeed I did" Bragforth said, "The third thing you can do is promise me your business. If you're ever in need of something, anything to do with magical creatures, you come to my store. I can assure you, while I might not be as big or as famous as the stores in Diagon Alley, I myself do know much more than they do" Bragforth said with a twisted smile that made Harry more confident in the man's knowledge.

"You got it" Harry said putting his hand out. Bragforth smiled and shook Harry's hand firmly.

Harry, with the newly christened Balthazar on his shoulder, and Bragforth made there way to the counter.

Bragforth reached behind the counter and produced an ornate bird cage with intricate patterns carved into it and covered completely in mirrors. "Now the Orobo-Raven may be on the house, but I do need to keep my supply of cages and the like up to date." Bragforth said placing the cage on the counter. "Now for a cage fitting this magnificent creature. Once I sell it to you, you can top the handle to make the mirrors see through, and tap it again so that they appear as mirrors from the outside. From the inside, just plain old glass."

Harry nodded and loved this cage. "How much for the cage?" he asked reaching for his money. Harry still wasn't sure what they were worth or how much things costed, but he wasn't worried. None of his purchases thus far had been more than he could afford. His wand was the most expensive thing so far, but that had barely scratched the surface.

Bragforth was double checking the cage with his wand as it glowed different colors over different areas. "Well a make of this quality and grade, I'll give you a discount and say 20 galleons and 2 sickles." Bragforth said.

This was the first purchase Harry had made today that he had to consider. He could still afford it, but it was a significant dip into his spending money for the day. He was about to reconsider when he remembered how much more was in his vault. He counted out 20 galleons and 2 sickles.

"Harry I feel obligated to warn you" Bragforth whispered, "speaking to snakes, while is a rare gift and will do you well in life. People will frown upon it. It is generally thought that only dark and evil wizards can be Parseltongues. This is only a half-truth. Most Parseltongues in History have been dark and evil wizards, but some have not. My favored example would be Salazar Slytherin". Harry thought for a second.

"Slytherin as in the Hogwarts house?" Harry asked a little confused.

Bragforth smiled and continued, "yes my boy, yes. "Salazar Slytherin, one of the four founders of Hogwarts. He was a Parseltongue, he was also a teacher, and a man with his three friends made a grand school. Now does that sound like the doing of an evil wizard"? Bragforth asked with a smile.

"No, not at all" Harry said confidently.

"Exactly, now are you a dark and evil wizard?" Bragforth asked jokingly, "of course your not, your eleven. Now if it should get out that you are a Parseltongue, never forget that does not make you evil, got that?" Bragforth asked sternly, almost parental.

"Yeah, I got it and anyone who doesn't agree isn't worth my time" Harry said proudly. Bragforth smile and patted Harry on the back.

"Ok I'm sure that you've got others things to do, and Hagrid is looking rather impatient at the moment" Bragforth said leading Harry towards the door.

"You know Hagrid?" Harry asked surprised. He had forgotten Hagrid mentioning his interest in Magical Beasts.

"Oh yes, you'll find Hagrid to have an odd taste in animal companions" Bragforth said. "He's my most frequent customer, or rather he would be if he actually bought anything. He's a great chap, with a devotion to magical beasts, though he does lack a certain restraint or common sense sometimes. He's always wanted a Dragon as a pet."

END CHAPTER


	3. New Friends and Crossing Kings

Harry had finally been able to enter Platform 9&¾ with the help of a kind woman and her numerous children, but there he was. Staring at a Crimson Red Steam Engine. The hustle and bustle around him shook him out of his awe. He approached the train

Smoke from the engine drifted over the heads of the chattering crowd, while cats of every color wound here and there between their legs. Owls hooted to one another in a disgruntled sort of way over the babble and the scraping of heavy trunks.

The first few carriages were already packed with students, some hanging out of the window to talk to their families, some fighting over seats. Harry pushed his cart off down the platform in search of an empty seat.

Harry was about to board the nearest kart when he saw an unmistakable platinum blonde head through the crowd. Harry not wanting to seem desperate, despite how much he was, made his way through the peoples and found Draco flanked by two adults, unmistakably his parents with the same blonde hair. "Draco" Harry said as he approached them.

Draco smiled and turned to Harry. "Hello again Harry." Draco said before turning to his parents. "Harry I'd like you meet my parents." To Draco's right was his father and to his left was his mother.

Draco's father stepped forward offering his hand to Harry. "My word, Harry Potter." He said before shaking Harry's hand. "Lucius Malfoy. It's a pleasure to meet you. I was skeptical when Draco explained your meeting." Lucius motioned to his wife who was fussing over Draco's collar. "Narcissa dear, his collar is fine. Come meet Harry Potter."

Draco's mother, Narcissa, turned her attention to Harry. While a very attractive woman, she had the look that something in the air seemed to bother her nose with a mildly annoyed scowl. She turned her attention to Harry and the scowl vanished. In its stead was a polite yet reserved smile. "A pleasure Mr. Potter." Narcissa said with such genuine pleasure.

Narcissa's expression seemed to sadden slightly. "I was an acquaintance of your mother's back when we both attended Hogwarts. She tutored me in Potions. A Brilliant young woman your mother was." Narcissa said before placing a hand on Harry's shoulder.

Harry fought the shock away internally. "I didn't know. Until a few weeks ago, I didn't know anything." Harry said trying his best not to sound pathetic. It bothered him having to explain that the entire Magical World was new to him. It should have been a part of his entire life.

Narcissa nodded and her expression returned to the scowl. "Yes, I heard from my son that you've been raised by muggle relatives. I didn't know Lily had family." Narcissa said. "She never spoke about her family. It was most shocking that you, Harry Potter, would be raised by Muggles of all people. To think the son of James Potter would be left in the care of lowly Muggles. Its an insult to your collective houses."

Lucius chuckled. "Now, now Narcissa, let the boy be. I'm sure there will be a time and place to go into all that." Lucius said with a calming smile. He looked at Harry and winked. "I'm sure he's just excited to board the train. Speaking of which, you two better get going."

Lucius did a quick look over the train. "Draco, I believe young Blaise Zabini is currently boarding the carriage second to last. You'd best go and introduce Harry to him." Lucius said before revealing his wand from within his walking stick and giving all the boy's luggage a quick wave causing them to float. "Do be sure to meet up with Vincent and Gregory. I promised their Fathers that you'd look out for them. We both know they are not the most intelligent boys around, far from it. It will serve you well to have them at your side." Lucius explained in a tone that made it obvious there was to be no question in the matter.

Draco nodded and started to pull his now weightless luggage behind him. "Come on Harry, I'll introduce you to some friends." Draco said leading the way.

Harry nodded and said his goodbyes to Mr and Mrs. Malfoy. Dragging his floating luggage made the quick stride easier. Harry followed Draco's lead and entered the carriage. Draco did quick look into the compartments and found who he was looking for.

"Hey Blaise." Draco said entering the compartment. He lifted the next to weightless luggage onto the overhead rack.

"Draco." Blaise said from his seat. He closed his book and noticed Harry standing behind Draco. "Who's this now Draco?" he asked standing to his feet.

Draco smirked and stepped aside to let Harry into the compartment. "Blaise Zabini, meet Harry Potter." Draco said sounding very smug.

There was a moment of silence. "You having a laugh Draco?" Blaise asked sounded a little offended. "Harry Potter, yeah. That'll be the day."

Harry wasn't sure what to say so he just stood in silence waiting for Draco's lead. "Oh go on Harry, show him the scar." Draco said crossing his arms confidently.

Harry smiled and lifted his hair revealing the lightning bolt scar. Blaise was shocked and stared at the scar. "By the Styx, you really are Harry Potter." Blaise said before realizing his lack of courtesy offered Harry his hand. "Blaise Zabini." He said with a smile.

Harry returned the smile and the handshake. "Just Harry is fine. Nice to meet you." Harry said. "If you don't mind." He gestured to his luggage. "I want to get these up there, before they stop floating."

Blaise nodded and stepped out of his way. Harry placed his luggage in the overhead and took a seat. "Uhm should look for Vincent and Gregory?" Harry asked Draco. "Your father was quite insistent that you find them."

Draco sighed and rolled his eyes. "We might as well. Who knows what they're getting themselves into without a brain between them." Draco said leaning against the open door frame. He caught Blaise's confused and dismissive expression.

"Oh, don't look at me like that. You think I want them tailing me when I've got the likes of you and Harry?" Draco asked rhetorically. "Father was dead set on me having them around. I'm to keep them in line. To be the brain to their brawn."

Letting out a final sigh Draco stood up straight. "I'll go find them. Wait for me here. This should take long." He said before leaving.

This left Harry alone with Blaise. "So Draco tells me that Slytherin is the house of the ambitions. Are you planning on Slytherin as well?" Harry asked Blaise, attempting to make conversation. "I mean, I like the sound of Slytherin, just don't know what the others are."

Blaise nodded. "Well, most everyone that Draco associates with will be Slytherin." Blaise said leaning forward a bit. "Its expected of certain Families. Slytherin for generations. That being said, there are three other houses."

Harry was enthralled by Blaise's explanation. "There's Ravenclaw, for the smart ones. Some say what they have in intelligence, they lack in common sense. Then there's Hufflepuff, for the diligent and loyal. Then there's Gryffindor. Some would say it's the house of the Brave and Courageous. Others, like Draco's Father, would say it's full of arrogant plebeians."

"I'm more of fair sort. So I'll tell you there nothing wrong with any of the houses, just depends on your priorities." Blaise said smoothly. "Most folks Draco would introduce you to are going to end up in Slytherin. It's just how things are for the Old Families."

Harry was dumbfounded but nodded along. "So it's a family tradition to be in Slytherin? That's why Draco is already decided on it?" Harry asked.

Blaise nodded. "Pretty much. I'm the same way. The Zabini Purity wouldn't allow it." Blaise said, then noticed Harry's confusion. "From what I'm told. The sorting takes into account how much magic you've got in your blood. For Families like the Malfoys, or the Notts, not a single drop of Muggle blood in them. My family is the same. We'd never allow Mudblood to ruin our bloodlines."

Harry wasn't sure what a Mudblood but was concerned he might be one. "What's a Mudblood?" he asked very worried.

Blaise grimaced sucked air through his teeth. "Oh, well. A Mudblood is someone with any Magical Blood in them." Blaise said getting quieter. "A Witch or Wizard born from Muggle parents is commonly known as a Muggleborn. Not to be used in polite company, Mudblood is the rude way to talk about them."

Harry nodded. He quickly remembered that both of his parents were magical, which meant he wasn't a Mudblood. "So what would someone like Draco be then?" Harry asked. He didn't want to be rude, but his curiosity taking priority.

Blaise had a small smile. "Well people like Draco, and myself, would be considered a Pure Blood. We can track our bloodline back generations." Blaise said sounding a bit proud. "We are the way it should."

Harry wasn't sure but he liked the sound of being able to see how old your family is. He wish he knew more about his. "Draco is taking his sweet time." Blaise said stretching his arms out in front of him. "I wonder where Theodore or Pansy are."

No sooner was Harry going to ask about Theodore and Pansy did the train jerk forward and start moving. "Looks like we're finally on our way." Blaise said as he reached for his book. No sooner did he open it did the compartment door open.

There was a short girl with a black pixie bob haircut and a small face. "Draco said he was here!" she practically shouted at them. Her attention fell on Harry and her eyes widened. "You!"

Blaise snorted. "Well, good to see you to Pansy." He said returning to his book. "Harry, meet Pansy Parkinson. Pansy, stop staring." He flipped a page and waved his hand in dismissal.

Harry wasn't sure what had just happened, but he stood up and offered his hand anyway. "Nice to meet you." He said. She slowly took his hand and shook it lightly. "You're a friend of Draco's?" he asked sitting back down.

There was a laugh behind Pansy as a boy appeared. He was tall and thin, with a certain expression as if he was just getting out of bed. "Friend is putting it lightly." He said gently pushing Pansy aside. "Theodore Nott, a pleasure." He said shaking Harry's hand.

Pansy huffed and stomped a foot. "Theodore Nott, I've told you a million times not to sneak up behind me!" She exclaimed only to be met with a snicker.

Theodore completely ignored her tantrum and sat down next to the window. Eventually she stopped raging at Theodore and sat down next to Harry. "So Harry, Draco mentioned you live with muggle relatives. That must have been absolutely dreadful." Pansy said in a dramatic fashion. "I couldn't even begin to imagine."

Harry smiled at her over exaggeration at how bad muggles were, but remembered his own personal experience with his relatives. "Let's just say I'm happier being where I belong." Harry said gesturing around him.

They all laughed a genuine laugh that made Harry feel more at ease.

Harry spent the next few hours getting to know his new found friends and learning what to expect from the Magical World from their perspectives. Eventually one of the older students came by and suggested they change into their school uniforms as they would be arriving at Hogwarts soon.

Before long the Hogwarts Express pulled into the Hogsmeade Station. Harry was excited to be dreading his sorting. He hadn't even given it any thought so far. All of his new friends had explained that they would be in Slytherin as their parents had, and their parents, and their parents. He wanted to be in Slytherin like them.

Blaise had been a little less favorable to the other houses once Pansy and Theodore arrived, but was still barely fair about the Sortings. 'There's nothing wrong with the other houses, just the people in them.' Harry wasn't sure what to expect from the other houses. He just knew that he liked the people that were going to be in Slytherin.

CHAPTER END


	4. The Sorting

Harry exited the train and found himself on a small station with candle lite lamp post. There was a bobbing light approaching from the darkness calling out in a familiar voice. "Firs' years! Firs' years over here!" Hagrid shouted over the hustle and bustle. Harry quickly approached him. All right there, Harry?" Hagrid asked with a smile.

Harry nodded and fell in line with the other First Years. "C'mon, follow me. Anymore firs' years? Mind yer step, now!" Hagrid called out as he led them away from the train platform. "Firs' years follow me!" It was quite dark and equally as slippery as Hagrid led them down a narrow and steep path.

"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called over his shoulder, "jus' round this

bend here."

Somewhere in front of Harry there was a loud "Oooooh!"The narrow path had opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black lake. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers.

"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by

the shore. Harry climbed into a boat with Blaise, Pansy, and Theodore. To their right they could see Draco in a boat with whom Harry assumed were Crabbe and Goyle. Rather large boys with dull expression on their faces.

.

"Everyone in?" shouted Hagrid, who had a boat to himself. "Right then, FORWARD!"

And the fleet of little boats moved off all at once, gliding across the lake, which was as smooth as glass. Everyone was silent, staring up at the great castle overhead. It towered over them as they sailed nearer and nearer to the cliff on which it stood.

"Heads down!" yelled Hagrid as the first boats reached the cliff; they all bent their heads and the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face. They were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle, until they reached a kind of underground harbor, where they clambered out onto rocks and pebbles.

Eventually they reached the massive double doors of Hogwarts. Hagrid raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door. The door swung open at once. A tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood there. She had a very stern face and Harry's first thought was that this was not someone to cross. "The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid gesturing to them.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here." said Professor McGonagall. Hagrid nodded and made his way.

She pulled the door wide. The entrance hall was so big you could have fit the whole of the Dursleys' house in it. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches like the ones at Gringotts, the ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors.

They followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. Harry could hear the drone of hundreds of voices from a doorway to the right. Harry assumed the rest of the school must already be here. Professor McGonagall showed the first years into a small, empty chamber off the hall. They crowded in, standing rather closer together than they would usually have done, peering about nervously.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room."

"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule breaking will lose house

points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great

honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours.

"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I

suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting." McGonagall said looking them all over.

"I shall return when we are ready for you," said Professor McGonagall. "Please wait quietly."

She left the chamber. Harry swallowed. Blaise and Theodore had explained earlier that the Sorting was some sort of enchanted Hat that would read your mind and personality.

After a brief introduction to some of the school's resident ghost Professor McGonagall returned. One by one, the ghosts floated away through the opposite wall. "Now, form a line," Professor McGonagall told the first years, "and follow me." Feeling oddly as though his legs had turned to lead, Harry got into line behind a boy with sandy hair, with Pansy behind him, and they walked out of the chamber, back across the hall, and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall.

Harry had never even imagined such a strange and splendid place. It was lit by thousands and thousands of candles that were floating in midair over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting. These tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets. At the top of the hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting. Professor McGonagall led the first years up here, so that they came to a halt in a line facing the other students, with the teachers behind them. The hundreds of faces staring at them looked like pale lanterns in the flickering candlelight. Dotted here and there among the students, the ghosts shone misty silver. Mainly to avoid all the staring eyes, Harry looked upward and saw a velvety black ceiling dotted with stars.

He heard someone behind him whisper, "It's bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in Hogwarts, A History." It was hard to believe there was a ceiling there at all, and that the Great Hall didn't simply open on to the heavens. Harry quickly looked down again as Professor McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years. On top of the stool she put a pointed wizard's hat. This hat was patched and frayed and extremely dirty. Aunt Petunia wouldn't have let it in the house.

Noticing that everyone in the hall was now staring at the hat, he stared at it, too. For a few seconds, there was complete silence. Then the hat twitched. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth — and the hat began to sing:

"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,

But don't judge on what you see,

I'll eat myself if you can find

A smarter hat than me.

You can keep your bowlers black,

Your top hats sleek and tall,

For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat

And I can cap them all.

There's nothing hidden in your head

The Sorting Hat can't see,

So try me on and I will tell you

Where you ought to be.

You might belong in Gryffindor,

Where dwell the brave at heart,

Their daring, nerve, and chivalry

Set Gryffindors apart;

You might belong in Hufflepuff,

Where they are just and loyal,

Those patient Hufflepuffs are true

And unafraid of toil;

Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,

if you've a ready mind,

Where those of wit and learning,

Will always find their kind;

Or perhaps in Slytherin

You'll make your real friends,

Those cunning folk use any means

To achieve their ends.

So put me on! Don't be afraid!

And don't get in a flap!

You're in safe hands (though I have none)

For I'm a Thinking Cap!"

The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again. Professor McGonagall now stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said.

"Abbott, Hannah!"

A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down. A moments pause —

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat.

The table on the right cheered and clapped as Hannah went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table. Harry saw the ghost of the Fat Friar waving merrily at her.

"Bones, Susan!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat again, and Susan scuttled off to sit next to Hannah.

"Boot, Terry!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

The table second from the left clapped this time; several Ravenclaws stood up to shake hands with Terry as he joined them.

"Brocklehurst, Mandy" went to Ravenclaw too, but "Brown, Lavender" became the first new Gryffindor, and the table on the far left exploded with cheers; Harry could see the same redheaded twins from Kings Cross catcalling.

"Bulstrode, Millicent" then became a Slytherin. He heard murmurs of agreement from Blaise and Draco. He was starting to feel definitely sick now. He remembered being picked for teams during gym at his old school. He had always been last to be chose, not because he was no good, but because no one wanted Dudley to think they liked him.

"Finch-Fletchley, Justin!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

Sometimes, Harry noticed, the hat shouted out the house at once, but at others it took a little while to decide. "Finnigan, Seamus," the sandy-haired boy next to Harry in the line, sat on the stool for almost a whole minute before the hat declared him a Gryffindor.

"Granger, Hermione!"

"GRYFFINDOR!" shouted the hat.

A horrible thought struck Harry, as horrible thoughts always do when you're very nervous. What if he wasn't chosen at all? What if he just sat there with the hat over his eyes for ages, until Professor McGonagall jerked it off his head and said there had obviously been a mistake and he'd better get back on the train?

When Neville Longbottom, the boy who kept losing his toad, was called, he fell over on his way

to the stool. The hat took a long time to decide with Neville. When it finally shouted, "GRYFFINDOR," Neville ran off still wearing it, and had to jog back amid gales of laughter to give it to "MacDougal, Morag."

Draco swaggered forward when his name was called and got his wish at once: the hat had barely touched his head when it screamed, "SLYTHERIN!" Malfoy went to join Crabbe and Goyle, looking pleased with himself.

There weren't many people left now. "Moon"... ,

"Nott, Theodore"...

"SLYTHERIN"

"Parkinson, Pansy"... ,

"SLYTHERIN"

Then a pair of twin girls, "Patil" and "Patil"... , then "Perks, Sally-Anne"... , and then, at last —

"Potter, Harry!"

As Harry stepped forward and the whispering began. "Potter, did she say?". "The Harry Potter?"

The last thing Harry saw before the hat dropped over his eyes was the hall full of people craning to get a good look at him. Next second he was looking at the black inside of the hat. He waited. "Hmm," said a small voice in his ear. "Difficult. Very difficult. Plenty of courage, I see. Not a bad mind either. There's talent, A my goodness, yes — and a nice thirst to prove yourself, now that's interesting... So where shall I put you?"

Harry gripped the edges of the stool and thought over and over again. 'Slytherin, Slytherin'

"Slytherin, eh?" said the small voice. "Ah, I see. You've got yourself friends there. But what about Gryffindor. You'd be a great wizard in Gryffindor, you know, it's all here in your head, and Gryffindor could be a home away from, oh, I see, any home would be better. But you're dead set on Slytherin, no doubt about that. Well, if you're sure. Better be SLYTHERIN!"

CHAPTER END


	5. Welcome to Slytherin

Harry heard the hat shout the last word to the whole hall. He took off the hat and walked shakily toward the Slytherin table. He hardly noticed that he was getting the loudest cheer yet. He approached Draco who shoved Goyle out of the seat next to him clearly wanting Harry to sit next him. Harry didn't want to be rude and took the newly vacated seat.

He could see the High Table properly now. At the end nearest him sat Hagrid, who caught his eye and smiled weakly at him. Harry smiled back, unsure what else to do. It was as Harry scanned over the facility table did he notice the center seat In a large gold chair, sat Albus Dumbledore. Harry recognized him at once from the card he'd gotten out of the Chocolate Frog on the train. Dumbledore's silver hair was the only thing in the whole hall that shone as brightly as the ghosts. Harry spotted Professor Quirrell, too, the nervous young man from the Leaky Cauldron. He was looking very peculiar in a large purple turban.

And now there were only three people left to be sorted. "Thomas, Dean," ended up at the Gryffindor table. "Turpin, Lisa," became a Ravenclaw Followed by "Weasley, Ronald." "GRYFFINDOR!"

Harry watched as Professor McGonagall called out the final name. "Zabini, Blaise," A few seconds later Blaise was made a Slytherin. Professor McGonagall rolled up her scroll and took the Sorting Hat away. Harry smiled as Blaise to the seat across from Harry and smiled. Harry looked down at his empty gold plate. He had only just realized how hungry he was. The sweets on the train seemed ages ago.

Albus Dumbledore had gotten to his feet. He was beaming at the students, his arms opened wide, as if nothing could have pleased him more than to see them all there. "Welcome," he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!

"Thank you!"

He sat back down. Everybody clapped and cheered. Harry didn't know whether to laugh or not.

"Is he, a bit mad?" he asked Draco as he clapped weakly.

Draco's mouth coiled on one side as he nodded. "Yeah, they say he was one of the most powerful Wizard of the age." Draco said leaning closer to Harry. "Father says he lost his edge in his old age. If Father has his way, Dumbledore won't be Headmaster much longer." Draco smirked. "Pass the Potatoes."

Harry's mouth fell open. The dishes in front of him were now piled with food. He had never seen so many things he liked to eat on one table: roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops and lamb chops, sausages, bacon and steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, fries, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, gravy, ketchup, and, for some strange reason, peppermint humbugs.

The Dursleys had never exactly starved Harry, but he'd never been allowed to eat as much as he liked. Dudley had always taken anything that Harry really wanted, even if It made him sick. Harry piled his plate with a bit of everything except the peppermints and began to eat. It was all delicious. When everyone had eaten as much as they could, the remains of the food faded from the plates, leaving them sparkling clean as before. A moment later the desserts appeared. Blocks of ice cream in every flavor you could think of, apple pies, treacle tarts, chocolate eclairs and jam doughnuts, trifle, strawberries, Jell-O, rice pudding.

As Harry helped himself to a treacle tart, the talk turned to their families. "Father was leaning towards sending me to Durmstrang but mother was insistent that I be closer to home." Draco said as he toyed with his apple pie. "Rumor is that Durmstrang actually teaches the Dark Arts. At least, that's what I've overheard when father thinks I'm out of earshot." Draco snickered.

Draco looked over his shoulders and leaned closer to the table. "Blaise, you notice no unknown names in the Sorting?" Draco asked in a whisper. "Not a single Mudblood in our year." He looked around to see that no one was listening in. "Not that Davis is Pure, but I guess it could be worse."

Blaise nodded and sat back down. "You should be more careful Draco. Just cause I share your opinion doesn't mean we need to talk about it so openly." Blaise said pushing his empty bowl away from him. "Your father must have exampled his restraint in public. I know mother is a fantastic actress and even has Muggle born "Friends". We won't always be in a situation to only associate with Pure Bloods "

Just from their interactions it was clear to Harry that Blaise was more soft spoken and more rational than Draco. Draco was more passionate about his beliefs and what his parents had taught him. Pansy seemed to agree with everything Draco said while Theodore seemed to simply watch the interactions, voicing no opinion of his own.

Harry, who was starting to feel warm and sleepy, looked up at the High Table again. Hagrid was drinking deeply from his goblet. Professor McGonagall was talking to Professor Dumbledore. Professor Quirrell, in his absurd turban, was talking to a teacher with greasy black hair, a hooked nose, and sallow skin.

It happened very suddenly. The hook-nosed teacher looked past Quirrell's turban straight into Harry's eyes — and a sharp, hot pain shot across the scar on Harry's forehead.

"Ouch!" Harry clapped a hand to his head.

"What is it?" asked Theodore.

"N-nothing." Harry said brushing it off. The pain had gone as quickly as it had come. Harder to shake off was the feeling Harry had gotten from the teacher's look, a feeling that he didn't like Harry at all.

"Who's that teacher talking to Professor Quirrell?" he asked. Harry was only met with quizzical stares.

"Quirrell. The one with the purple turban. Who's that next to him?" Harry asked again, not wanting to point.

"Oh that's Professor Snape. He's our Head of House." Draco said confidently. "He teaches Potions, but he doesn't want to. Father says he should have been teaching Defense against the Dark Arts for years. Knows an awful lot about the Dark Arts, Snape."

Harry watched Snape for a while, but Snape didn't look at him again. At last, the desserts too disappeared, and Professor Dumbledore got to his feet again. The hall fell silent.

"Ahem — just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you. First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well." Dumbledore's twinkling eyes flashed in the direction of the Weasley twins. "I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch. And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."

Harry laughed, but he was one of the few who did. "He's not serious?" he muttered to Draco. Draco didn't seem sure himself.

"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" cried Dumbledore. Harry noticed

that the other teachers' smiles had become rather fixed. Dumbledore gave his wand a little flick, as if he was trying to get a fly off the end, and a long golden ribbon flew out of it, which rose high above the tables and twisted itself, snakelike, into words. Harry was about to attempt the song when Draco nudged him in the ribs and shook his head. It seemed that none of Slytherin even bothered to sing the song. Harry just watched and instantly understood. It was a terrible song. Even the Professors didn't sing just sat there with their fake smiles (with the exception of Snape who hadn't smiled the entire evening) and their shared knowing glances with each other.

As the song finished the First years were escorted out of the Great Hall by a Slytherin Prefect. "Who's she?" Harry asked in a whisper. Instead of being answered by Draco or Blaise, Pansy spoke up.

"Does ickle Harry have a crush on the mean old Prefect?" she asked jokingly. "That's Rebecca Severon. Daddy has meetings with her father regularly. She used to babysit for me." The Slytherin first years followed Rebecca through the chattering crowds, out of the Great Hall. They slowly made their way through the halls and down several flights of stairs.

Finally they came to a hallway with no discernible features. "Remember this route. It's the best way to get to the Slytherin Common room from the Great Hall." Rebecca said. She turned to face a portion of the wall. "This years password is Copperhead."

As soon as she said it a stone door concealed in the wall slid open. The Slytherin common room was a long, low underground room with rough stone walls and ceiling from which round, greenish lamps were hanging on chains. A fire was crackling under an elaborately carved mantelpiece ahead of them, and there were several silhouettes of high-backed chairs.

"Now, Boys dorm down the left hall, fourth door on the right." Rebecca said motion to a hallway. "Girls are down the right hall, fourth door on the left. If you have any questions it would be better that you ask me then Professor Snape." Without another word Rebecca disappeared down the girls hallway.

Harry spent the remainder of the evening reviewing his text books at the suggestion of an older student passing by. It wasn't long until the first years started packing it in and heading to bed. Perhaps Harry had eaten a bit too much, because he had a very strange dream. He was wearing Professor Quirrell's turban, which kept talking to him, telling him he that he made the right choice joining Slytherin, because it was his destiny. Harry told the turban he didn't care that he was in Slytherin, but with his friends; it got heavier and heavier; he tried to pull it off but it tightened painfully, and there was Malfoy, attempting to help him take the turban off, then Malfoy turned into the hook-nosed teacher, Snape, who started laughing at him. The laugh became high and cold, there was a burst of green light and Harry woke, sweating and shaking.

He rolled over and fell asleep again, and when he woke next day, he didn't remember the dream at all.


	6. Professor Snape

The next morning was filled with an odd sensation similar to that of when Hagrid had brought him to the Leaky Cauldron. Everyone that noticed him seemed to stare or point him out.

"There, look." one student said as Harry passed Great Hall.

"Where?"

"Next to the tall kid with the red hair."

"Wearing the glasses?"

"Did you see his face?"

"Did you see his scar?"

Whispers followed Harry from the moment he left his dormitory the next day. People lining up

outside classrooms stood on tiptoe to get a look at him, or doubled back to pass him in the corridors again, staring. Harry wished they wouldn't, because he was trying to concentrate on finding his way to classes.

Harry first class ever was with Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher. Professor Flitwick was a tiny little wizard who had to stand on a pile of books to see over his desk. At the start of their first class he took the roll call, and when he reached Harry's name he gave an excited squeak and toppled out of sight. Draco took the opportunity to lighten the mood.

"Really? Harry Potter where?" Draco said mocking Flitwick's enthusiasm. "Oh my he's right beside me, I hadn't noticed. Most of the Slytherins and a few of the Ravenclaws laughed. Harry just felt better being singled out in a more jovial manner.

After Charms they headed to Transfigurations. Taught by the deputy Headmistress Professor McGonagall. Harry had been quite right to think she wasn't a teacher to cross. Strict and clever, she gave them a talking-to the moment they sat down in her first class.

"Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts," she said. "Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned." Then she changed her desk into a pig and back again. They were all very impressed and couldn't wait to get started, but soon realized they weren't going to be changing the furniture into animals for a long time. After taking a lot of complicated notes, they were each given a match and started trying to turn it into a needle. By the end of the lesson, only Hermione Granger had made any difference to her match; Professor McGonagall showed the class how it had gone all silver and pointy and gave Hermione a rare smile.

The class everyone had really been looking forward to was Defense Against the Dark Arts, but Quirrell's lessons turned out to be a bit of a joke. His classroom smelled strongly of garlic, which everyone said was to ward off a vampire he'd met in Romania and was afraid would be coming back to get him one of these days. His turban, he told them, had been given to him by an African prince as a thank-you for getting rid of a troublesome zombie, but they weren't sure they believed this story. For one thing, when Seamus Finnigan asked eagerly to hear how Quirrell had fought off the zombie, Quirrell went pink and started talking about the weather; for another, they had noticed that a funny smell hung around the turban, and the Weasley twins insisted that it was stuffed full of garlic as well, so that Quirrell was protected wherever he went.

Harry was very relieved to find out that he wasn't miles behind everyone else. Lots of people had come from Muggle families and, like him, hadn't had any idea that they were witches and wizards. There was so much to learn that even people like Ron didn't have much of a head start. Friday was an important day for Harry and his friends. They finally managed to find their way to the Great Hall for breakfast without getting lost once.

"What have we got today?" Harry asked reaching for a platter of Hashbrowns.

Draco smiled. "We've got Double Potions with the Gryffindors." Draco had been looking forward to the Potions class all week.

Just then, the mail arrived. Harry had gotten used to this by now, but it had given him a bit of a shock on the first morning, when about a hundred owls had suddenly streamed into the Great Hall during breakfast, circling the tables until they saw their owners, and dropping letters and packages onto their laps.

Balthazar hadn't brought Harry anything so far. He hadn't delivered Harry any mail thus far but would occasionally enter the Great Hall and chase the owls as they tried to drop off the mail. This morning,however, he fluttered down between Harry and Draco, who was terrified of him and fell out of his seat. Balthazar dropped a note onto Harry's lap. Harry tore it open at once. It said, in a very untidy scrawl:

 _Dear Harry,_

 _I know you get Friday afternoons off, so would you like to come and have a cup of tea with me_

 _around three?_

 _I want to hear all about your first week. Send us an answer back with Balthazar._

 _P.S. I wasn't sure if I should have set him up in the Owlery so I made him his own perch near the Greenhouse. Had Professor Sprout extend the charms that keep all the plants warm during the winter. He'll be safe and sound. I'll show you some time._

 _Hagrid_

Harry reached for his bag and quickly wrote his response.

' _Yes, please, see you later_

 _P.S. Thank you'_

He held the note in a flat palm so Balthazar could grab it in his mouth without nipping at Harry, again. With a confident grasp on the note Balthazar took off.

There was a moment of awkward silence as Harry noticed most of Slytherin table staring at him. He tried to ignore the stares as he did most of the time, but was bothered by Draco's wide eyed gaze.

What was that?" Draco asked getting back into his seat.

Harry shrugged. "That was Balthazar. He's an Orobo-Raven. I got him in Knockturn Alley, from the shop you suggested." Harry said with just a hint of accusation. Draco only nodded dumbly as he continued his breakfast.

At the start-of-term banquet, Harry had gotten the idea that Professor Snape disliked him. By the end of the first Potions lesson, he was even less sure.

Potions lessons took place down in one of the dungeons. It was colder here than up in the main

castle, and even colder than the Slytherin Common Room. It would have been quite creepy enough without the pickled animals floating in glass jars all around the walls.

Snape, like Flitwick, started the class by taking the roll call, and like Flitwick, he paused at

Harry's name.

"Ah, Yes," he said softly, "Harry Potter. Our new — celebrity."

Some of the Gryffindors sniggered behind their hands earning a quick glare from Snape. Snape finished calling the names and looked up at the class. His eyes were black like Hagrid's, but they had none of Hagrid's warmth. They were cold and empty and made you think of dark tunnels.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potionmaking," he began. He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but they caught every word — like Professor McGonagall, Snape had the gift of keeping a class silent without effort. "As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses... I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death — if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."

More silence followed this little speech. Harry gave Draco a look of confusion with a raised eyebrow but was met with a confident smirk. Hermione Granger was on the edge of her seat and looked desperate to start proving that she wasn't a dunderhead.

"Potter!" said Snape suddenly. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

Harry instantly understood why he was told to review his Potions text by an older Slytherin. "If I'm not mistaken sir, that would create Draught of the Living Dead, sir." Harry said doing his best to sound respectful. The rumors about Snape were rather severe.

"Let's try another to see if that wasn't, dumb luck. Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?"

Harry panicked for a moment before remembering a footnote in the foreword of the Text books. "You'd find a bezoar in the stomach of a goat, sir." Harry said feeling like the only other person in the room with Professor Snape.

"What is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?" Professor Snape asked raising his chin.

Harry's jaw clenched. He hadn't read about either of those items in his text book. "I don't know, sir." said Harry quietly. "I didn't find it in the first 7 chapters of the excepted text, sir."

Snape's glare seemed to change but only for a fraction of a second. "Nor should you have. Monkshood and wolfsbane, they are the same plant, which also goes by the name of aconite. They are common knowledge and usage for any Third Year student." Snape said as he held a jar labeled 'wolfsbane'. "But your preparation for this class is what should be expected. Ten points for each correct answer Mr. Potter."

Harry's dread instantly flooded away. "Draught of the Living Dead is a sleep potion that mimics Death itself and a bezoar can be used to deactivate most poisonous if swallowed within seconds of the poisons, administrations." Snape said as he placed the jar of wolfsbane on a shelf. "That's 20 points Mr. Potter." Snape made it sound as if it was painful awarding points to Harry.

"Well? Why aren't you all copying that down?" Snape shouted at the rest of the class.

Snape put them all into pairs and set them to mixing up a simple potion to cure boils. He swept around in his long black cloak, watching them weigh dried nettles and crush snake fangs, criticizing almost everyone except Draco, whom he seemed to like. He was just telling everyone to look at the perfect way Malfoy had stewed his horned slugs when clouds of acid green smoke and a loud hissing filled the dungeon. Neville had somehow managed to melt Seamus's cauldron into a twisted blob, and their potion was seeping across the stone floor, burning holes in people's shoes.

Within seconds, the whole class was standing on their stools while Neville, who had been drenched in the potion when the cauldron collapsed, moaned in pain as angry red boils sprang up all over his arms and legs. "Idiot boy!" snarled Snape, clearing the spilled potion away with one wave of his wand. "I suppose you added the porcupine quills before taking the cauldron off the fire?"

Neville whimpered as boils started to pop up all over his nose. "Take him up to the hospital wing," Snape spat at Seamus. "Back to work." He barked returning to his desk.

Before long the Double Potions class had ended. It was clear to everyone there that Snape's feelings towards Gryffindors and Slytherins were not the same. Harry felt bad for Neville but had enjoyed the class to a degree. It was more practical than his other classes. More logical. He wasn't complaining about his wand heavy classes, but it was a nice change of pace.


	7. Weasley and Sonarous

Harry left his friends in the Library after reading up on next week's Potion outline to visit Hragid. He had offered his friends to come and meet Hagrid, though none of them had taken him up on. On his way to the grounds he noticed a group of First Year Gryffindors blocking his path.

"Mind if I get by." Harry said as he approached the door.

He recognized the one boy from the sorting. Ron Weasley. He just seemed to scowl at Harry for a moment. "What happened to you?" Ron asked sounding upset. "How could you end up in Slytherin? You're supposed to be in Gryffindor. You got rid of you-know-who, and you end up with those slimy Slytherins." Ron seemed to have a preconceived opinion on who Harry should.

Harry frowned and looked directly at Ron. "You're gonna tell me what I should and shouldn't do based on something that happened when I was a Baby?" Harry asked rhetorically. "If me being in Slytherin is such a problem for you, then that's your problem. Now are you gonna let me pass?" Harry took a few steps forward getting closer to Ron in an attempt at intimidating him. He then realized that Ron was actually taller than him.

Ron seemed confused for a moment by Harry's confidence. "You don't know how to count Potter?" Ron said gesturing to the other Gryffindors. "There's four of us and one of you. Just what do you think you'll do." Ron was now much more confident than angry. It was clear that he was no stranger to altercations.

"Actually it's four on two." said a new voice from behind Harry. A 6th year Slytherin came around the corner and stood next to him. While being taller than Harry and the Gryffindors, he wasn't spectacularly tall. More muscle than height. He had very short dirty blonde hair, and rectangular glasses, and just a bit of peach fuzz on his chin. "Now, I may be able to count better than any of you, but I still think I'm happy with our odds. Wouldn't you say so Potter?" he asked brandishing his wand.

Harry had never been more happy to see one of his housemates than he did right now. "Yeah, I'd say so." He said looking back at Ron.

The other Gryffindors weren't so smug anymore . One of them looked ready to take off at the slightest thing. Finally one put a hand on Ron's shoulder and whispered to him. "You got lucky Potter, but this isn't over." he said as the left.

As soon as Harry was sure they were gone he let out a sigh of relief. "Wow, thanks a lot. I don't know what I would have done if you didn't show up." Harry said turning to his rescuer.

"Not a problem Potter, I just don't like Gryffindors thinking they're big shit." He said offering Harry his hand. "John Sonarous."

Harry took his hand and smiled. "Harry Potter, but you already knew that." he said politely. "Now I don't mean to be rude and dash, but I've got to meet Hagrid before he starts to think I'm not coming." Harry gestured to the doorway Ron and his friends had been blocking before.

"Don't worry about it. Go. But just remember if those shit heads give you trouble you've got all of Slytherin at your back." John said before heading in a different direction.

Harry now worried started running toward the Dark Forest. He had never been to Hagrid's before, but it was hard to miss the only structure on the edge of the tree line. As Harry approached he could see hagrid sitting on his porch, whittling what Harry guessed was a flute. "Hey Hagrid." Harry said making his presence known.

Hagrid looked up with a large grin on his face. "Arry, good to see you. Haven't had a chance since the Sorting." Hagrid said, standing up and brushing wood shavings off his pants. "How ave you bin?" he asked sounding a little unsure and guilty.

"Fantastic. Just had Potions today and Transfigurations yesterday." Harry said enthusiastically. "Sorry I'm late though. A few Gryffindors wouldn't let me pass." Harry scowled a little and looked away a little embarrassed. "If an older Slytherin hadn't shown up I'm not sure what would have happened."

Hagrid listened but seemed conflicted. "So, yer getting along with your Housemates? Its not to hard is it?" Hagrid asked sitting back down on his porch giving his pants one final brush. "You can tell me, you know. I can't imagine it being easy." Hagrid had a seemingly sad knowing look on his face.

Harry was completely confused. Did Hagrid mean to imply that he was being bullied by his own house? Harry shook his head. "No Hagrid, it's fine. They're my friends. If anything it's the other houses that are the problem. Gryffindor in particular." Harry said sitting down next to Hagrid. "Its like everytime I walk by they're pointing and whispering. Some just stare and me, others frown and glare at me. The Hufflepuffs just ignore me, which is fine. And the Ravenclaws seemed to not hate me though, so that's pretty good. But the Slytherins have been great."

Hagrid let out a deep sigh. "Oh thats wonderful." Hagrid said immediately regretting his choice of words. "Well not the part about the Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs, but the fact that you're getting along with your Housemates. That's fantastic Arry." Hagrid placed a hand on Harry's shoulder. "I remember the teasing from my time here. I was already bigger than most professors by the time I got sorted into Gryffindor. Most kids me own age were terrified to approach me."

Harry sat and listened to Hagrid's stories of his time at Hogwarts but started to get a bit vague around his third year. "Well it's getting a bit late. How about I walk you to the Greenhouse and show you the den I made for your Orobo-Raven?" Hagrid asked standing up with enthusiasm. "I'll be honest Arry, ever since you came out of Bragforth's with him, I wasn't sure how I could help. Owl's are easy, everyone knows how to take care of owls. But what you've got yourself is a magnificent beast Arry."

They made their way to the Greenhouse as Harry explained everything he knew about Balthazar, excluding the fact that Harry could talk to him.

"I asked Professor Sprout about the Greenhouse and which ones were used the most. I didn't want to much commotion near him during the day, and I didn't want anyone bothering him." Hagrid said leading Harry around a few Greenhouse. "Greenhouse 17 hasn't been used in years, not even in my day was it used. So I just set him up in there." Hagrid pointed out an section of the Greenhouse's ceiling windows propped open.

Hagrid opened the door and presented Harry with a most magnificent view. "Had to do a bit of reading, but from what I could gather Snakes like it warm and dry." Hagrid said gesturing to all the lamps. Inside it seemed like the Greenhouse was from another continent. There were plenty of large rocks and sand underneath lamps and a stream of water that seemed to flow in a circle around a small island. There were larger rocks leading up to the open window. "Had to talked to Professor McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore 'bout certain bits of magic in here. Dumbledore seemed enthusiastic about it he spent an entire afternoon with me making sure that none of the spellwork would come undone in the middle of Winter."

Harry was speechless. It was amazing. It was all for him and Balthazar. No one had ever done anything like this for him before. "What's the matter Harry? Yeh don't like do you? I should have put more rocks, I told myself 'more rocks'" Hagrid started ranting a berating himself and was blindsided by Harry's hug.

"Its wonderful Hagrid." Harry said wiping away a tear. Harry spent the rest of the afternoon asking Hagrid questions about the Greenhouse, the work he put into it, and what he had learned about snakes. All of which Hagrid was happy to answer.

Eventually Hagrid had to get back to his duties and Games Keeper and returned to his hut leaving Harry in the greenhouse. It didn't take long before Balthazar arrived through the open window on the ceiling. Harry spent the rest of his evening before curfew reading his text books with Balthazar curled up on his lap.


	8. The Remembrall

Harry got up to find himself the only one awake in his dorm. He quickly showered and dressed before heading to the Common Room. There he noticed that the Slytherin Notice Board had its first item posted. It was a posting from Madam Hooch.

First Year Flying Lessons

Ravenclaw/Hufflepuff.

Thursday 9am. North East Courtyard.

Gryffindor/Slytherin.

Thursday 3:30pm. North East Courtyard.

Harry was so excited. He'd never been on a Broom before and now he was going to learn. Before he knew it Thursday had come. Harry listened to his friends banter about how good they all were on Brooms during breakfast. It was clear that some of them had misconceptions of Muggle flying device as Draco claimed to have narrowly escaped a Muggle Helicopter. Harry did his best to jokingly correct Draco so not to lose face in front all of the Slytherin table.

The conversation seemed to die down as the morning post came in. Harry was rather surprised when a owl left him a small parcel. He never got mail except from Hagrid. He qucikly checked the note which read:

Dear Harry,

I've been reading up on Orobo-Ravens since you left my shop. Not much is known but I did what I could. Enclosed in the package are copies of my notes and a few Minced Mice patties. From what I can tell all snakes like them and they're charmed to never spoil and to have no odor. Good for traveling. If it's not too much trouble I've love to hear about your Orobo-Raven's growth and such. Hagrid tells me he's about 1 foot, 3 inches now. When you left my shop he was 1 foot, 1 inch. He's growing quite a bit. Send pictures if you can.

-Bragforth.

Harry set the letter aside as he found the notes and patties. He left the patties in their wrappings and shoved them in his pockets before Crabbe and Goyle could mistake them for sweets and nick them. Bragforth's notes were hard to understand sometimes. Referencing other magical creatures or books that Harry had never heard of. He slipped the notes into one of his books for Charms and slipped the bird sickle it was waiting for.

He was about to finish his breakfast when Draco nudged him. "What's Longbottom got?" He asked looking over at the Gryffindor table. "Let's go find out." Draco said with a playful sneer.

Harry and Draco stood up and casually walked over the Gryffindor Table. As they approached they over heard the Gryffindors discuss Neville's new item. "It's a Remembrall!" he explained. "Gran knows I forget things, This tells you if there's something you've forgotten to do. Look, you hold it tight like this and if it turns red, oh..." His face fell, because the Remembrall had suddenly glowed scarlet, "... you've forgotten something..."

Neville was trying to remember what he'd forgotten when Draco snatched the Remebrall from his hand.

Ron and the other boys recognized from the hallway jumped to their feet. Harry was ready to get involved but was curious to see just what they thought they would do in the center of Great Hall. But before Harry could press the issue, Professor McGonagall, who could spot trouble quicker than any teacher in the school, was there in a flash.

"What's going on?" She asked in a no nonsense tone.

"Malfoy's got my Remembrall, Professor." Neville said point at Draco who openly held the ord. Scowling, Draco quickly dropped the Remembrall back on the table.

"Just looking," he said, and he sloped away with Harry behind him. They went back to Slytherin table and glowered at the Gryffindor Table. "So Longbottom's got a Remembrall now. Good for him." Draco said, clearly upset he got caught messing with the Gryffindors.

Harry was more curious about something else he had noticed. It seemed that not only was Ron good at annoying him and the other Slytherins, but he was also good at irritating his own house. He watch the faces and gestures as Granger seemed to chime into Ron and Neville's conversation only to be silenced by Ron. From her expression Ron was quite hurtful. He watched as she gathered her things and left the Great Hall in a hurry.

"Huh, that's odd." Harry said watching her leave. "Draco, aren't the houses supposed to all buddy buddy with themselves?" Harry was now more observant of the other houses and their conversations he couldn't hear. "Like we're supposed to have each others back, right?"

Draco was adding more bacon to his plate when he noticed Harry's question. "Well, in theory, yeah." Draco said putting the bacon platter down and reaching for the sausages. "We're supposed to be a House united, or at the very least seem like it to the other houses. We'd get nowhere with infighting."

Harry nodded and watched as none of the other houses seemed to be having a single argument. "So what makes them so special?" Harry whispered to himself. He looked around the Slytherin table and found who he was seeking. "Hey, Pansy, come here for a second?"

Pansy looked up from her Witch Weekly Magazine and quickly skipped over to Harry. "Whatcha' need Harry?" Pansy said in that sickly sweet tone Harry knew better than to believe.

"You know most everyone in our year right?" Harry asked in a quiet tone. "What can you tell me about Hermione Granger? Besides the fact that she's a Muggleborn."

Pansy's fake sweet smiled dissolved like acid into a scowl. "Granger? What do want to know about her for?" She asked sounding offended that she even needed to talk about Granger. "She's a insufferable know it all. She's spends all her time in the Library. She's a teacher pet, and likes to be correct all the time."

Harry nodded. "Well I could have figured that out myself, I'm asking you what you know that I don't. You're better at the gossip thing than I am." Harry said knowing that appealing to her ego would be better and easier than trying to convince her. He could tell she tried to hid a smile at his false compliment.

"Well, she's at the top of almost every class. She's respectful of all authority figures, even Filch if you can believe it. But rumor is starting to come around that she's got no friends." Pansy said squeezing in between Harry and Draco. "She's got her nose in her books so much that even her own house is starting to get tired of her." Pansy said making it all sound so important and so factual.

Harry nodded with interest. 'And with Ron being Ron, she's gonna be alone very soon.' Harry thought.

He noticed Pansy's disgusted look forming. "Oh Harry! No?" She said in a very loud whisper. "Don't tell me you've got a crush on Granger?!" She hissed at him. "You could do so much better." She was clearly disgusted by the idea. Harry understood his friend's opinion on Muggleborns and Halfbloods, but he politely disagreed.

"No." Harry said acting hurt by her accusation. "I was just curious because it seems that Weasley can annoy his own house as well as ours." Harry motioned to the Gryffindor table where Ron Weasley was currently in the midst of a very animated conversation with the other First Year Gryffindors. It was clear that the other students not partaking in the conversation were not enjoying Ron's enthusiasm.

Pansy watched for a moment before nodding curtly. "Well, do be careful not to fall for someone below your station, Harry." Pansy warned him. "You've got to think about your reputation and your Family Lineage. The Potters are a long line. No offense but it has already lost some of its, sheen, due to your father marrying your mother. You could easily restore your family's standing by marrying a proper Pureblood gal."

Initially Harry was embarrassed by the idea of marriage, but realized he had gained a rather insightful glance into Pansy's priorities. Rather than being a pawn or a fool, Harry decided to turn it around on her. "Is that an offer, Pansy?" Harry asked with a playful smile.

Several things happened at once. Draco coughing on his breakfast. Pansy blushing several shades of red. Blaise and Theodore laughing loudly. John Sonarous barking a single "Ha" from a few seats down. And finally Harry not realising the gravitas of his actions and how they might have backfired on him.

Pansy, quickly regaining her composure, nervously adjusting her collar glared at Harry. "Harry. I know you don't get the, value behind those words. A Pureblood Marriage is a thing that is worked on for years." Pansy said calmly, but Harry could hear the venom in her voice. "If Daddy wasn't thinking of Draco as a future son-in-law, you might want to send him a letter. Though it would be terribly rude to the Malfoys. You should really read up on these things Harry. You might be expected to know these things one day, sooner than you think."

At first Harry thought she was joking but an affirming nod from both Blaise and Theodore made him reconsider. Pansy patted him on the shoulder and return to her seat and magazine. Draco was teary eyed and glaring at Harry. "That was not funny Harry." Draco said getting over his choking.

"I disagree." said John as he passed by. "While what Parkinson said is true. Harry's attempt to take the piss out of her was spot on." John gave Harry a friendly thumping on his back. "Excellent try there Harry. She's right though, you should look into those things. Before long certain Pureblood daddies are gonna want to see if they can throw their daughters that you."

John gave a curt nod before leaving the Great Hall and giving Harry a lot to think about. Harry now had another reason to look forward to the Flying Lessons as it would be a great distraction from all this talk of marriage and blood purity.

At three o'clock that afternoon, Harry, Draco, and the other Slytherins meandered down the front steps onto the grounds for their first flying lesson. It was a clear, breezy day, and the grass rippled under their feet as they marched down the sloping lawns toward a smooth, flat lawn on the opposite side of the grounds to the forbidden forest, whose trees were swaying darkly in the distance.

They were the first ones there and found twenty broomsticks lying in neat lines on the ground. Harry had heard other students complain about the school brooms, saying that some of them started to vibrate if you flew too high, or always flew slightly to the left.

Their teacher, Madam Hooch, arrived. She had short, gray hair, and yellow eyes like a hawk. "Well, what are you all waiting for?" she barked. "Everyone stand by a broomstick. Come on, hurry up."

Harry glanced down at his broom. It was old and some of the twigs stuck out at odd angles. "Stick out your right hand over your broom," called Madam Hooch at the front, "and say 'Up!'"

"UP" everyone shouted.

Harry's broom jumped into his hand at once, but it was one of the few that did, to his left Draco got it on his third try. Hermione Granger's had simply rolled over on the ground, and Neville's hadn't moved at all. Perhaps brooms, like horses, could tell when you were afraid, thought Harry; there was a quaver in Neville's voice that said only too clearly that he wanted to keep his feet on the ground.

Madam Hooch then showed them how to mount their brooms without sliding off the end, and walked up and down the rows correcting their grips. Harry snickered when she told Draco he'd been doing it wrong for years.

"Now, when I blow my whistle, you kick off from the ground, hard," said Madam Hooch. "Keep your brooms steady, rise a few feet, and then come straight back down by leaning forward slightly. On my whistle — three — two —" But Neville, nervous and jumpy and frightened of being left on the ground, pushed off hard before the whistle had touched Madam Hooch's lips. "Come back, boy!" she shouted, but Neville was rising straight up like a cork shot out of a bottle, twelve feet, twenty feet. Harry saw his scared white face look down at the ground falling away, saw him gasp, slip sideways off the broom.

There was a thud and a nasty crack and Neville lay facedown on the grass in a heap. His broomstick was still rising higher and higher, and started to drift lazily toward the forbidden forest and out of sight.'Never seeing that broom again.' Harry thought as it continued to fly off into the distance, deeper and deeper into the forbidden forest.

Madam Hooch was bending over Neville, her face as white as his. "Broken wrist," Harry heard her mutter. "Come on, boy, it's all right, up you get."

She turned to the rest of the class. "None of you is to move while I take this boy to the hospital wing! You leave those brooms where they are or you'll be out of Hogwarts before you can say 'Quidditch.' Come on, dear."

Neville, his face tear-streaked, clutching his wrist, hobbled off with Madam Hooch, who had her arm around him.

No sooner were they out of earshot than Draco burst into laughter. "Did you see his face, the great lump?" He shouted. The other Slytherins joined in. Harry felt a little guilty as he chuckled a little.

"Shut up, Malfoy," snapped Parvati Patil stepping forward from the other Gryffindors who glared at Draco.

"Ooh, sticking up for Longbottom?" asked Pansy quickly joining Draco's side. "Never thought you'd like fat little crybabies, Parvati."

"Look!" said Draco, darting forward and snatching something out of the grass. "It's that stupid thing Longbottom's gran sent him." The Remembrall glittered in the sun as he held it up. There was a moment of silence as no one knew what to do. Draco smiled nastily. "I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find, how about, up a tree?"

While Harry enjoyed the jokes and the teasing, this was a little outside his comfort zone. "That might be too much Draco." Harry said in a whisper standing behind Draco. "It looks expensive and if all the Gryffindors say that you broke it, then what?" Harry was hoping that he could appeal to Draco's sense of self preservation.

There was a moment of reservation on Draco's face but it quickly passed when Ron Weasley stepped forward. "Give it here." He demanded with his hand out stretched. "Hand it over Malfoy."

Harry cringed. Now that Weasley had made it a confrontation there was next to no chance that Draco would simply give the Remebrall back. "I'll tell you what Weasley." Draco said as he mounted his broom. "You want it, come and get it." Draco pushed off and rose in the air.

There was heckling from the Slytherins and cheering from the Gryffindors, encouraging Ron to go after Draco. In mere moments both boys were 40 feet up trading insults. Harry couldn't just stand by and watch, mounted his own broom and joined them.

"Come to back up Malfoy, eh Potter?" Ron accused Harry as he rose to earshot. Harry was slowly becoming less inclined to stop Draco, but remember that it would Neville who suffered. Harry had nothing against him.

Harry casually flew circles around Draco and Ron as they taunted one another. Harry stopped to check the Castle and noticed a few windows open. He hoped no one was watching them. Harry slowly approached Draco. He had never been on a broom before and was shocked by how was he was taking to it. It felt natural to him.

"Weasley here thinks he can take the Remembrall from me Harry." Draco said tossing the scarlet orb from one hand to another. "I'll tell you what Weasley. If you think you're so great on a broom let's see who's the best." Harry had a moment of panic, He knew what Draco was about to do. He did his best to block the castle from Draco's view. "Go get it then!"

And as if in slow motion, Harry watched as Draco threw the Remembrall as hard as he could towards the Greenhouse. He watched as Ron looked on in horror, not moving. Operating on instinct Harry accelerated as fast as he could and took off towards the Remembrall.

Somewhere in the back of his mind he was grateful that Draco had such a good throwing arm or he'd never have a chance to catch up with the Remembrall before it hit the ground. He fell into a nosedive as the Remembrall grew closer and closer to the Greenhouses. Just under 20 feet from the ground between several Greenhouses Harry reached out and spin his broom around.

Just as with Draco's throw the world seemed to slow down. He felt the tug of the broom accelerate away from the ground instead of towards it and he felt the Remembrall in his hand. For a moment he felt glorious. He had caught the Remembrall and avoided crashing into any of the Greenhouses. It was one of the best feelings in his life. It last about 10 seconds.

Looking directly at him from eye level inside the nearby Greenhouse was Professor Snape.

CHAPTER END


	9. Captain Marcus Flint

Harry hung his head low as he followed Professor Snape into the castle. Snape had been uncharacteristically calm during the whole ordeal. He had said nothing to Harry other than "Come, with, me." in a low commanding voice. Harry was expecting shouting or berating, but nothing. He continued to follow Snape expecting to be brought before Dumbledore for expulsion. Harry was confused when they ended up in front of a Charms classroom.

"Wait, here Potter." Snape ordered before opening the door. Inside was a Sixth year Charms class. "Professor Flitwick, I need Flint for a moment." Harry knew this wasn't a question. Without even waiting for Flitwick to finish his sentence, a tall boy with black hair and misshapen teeth stood up and walked out into the hallway.

"What can I do for you Professor Snape?" Flint asked. "And what's with Potter here?"

Snape sighed before looking at Harry. "I have found Higgs' replacement. I trust you are in agreement that his performance last season was subpar." Snape said in a dismissive tone. "I have seen first hand Potter's unrefined skills and with enough practise he will soon outclass Higgs. I'll leave him in your hands, and I expect him ready for our first match."

Without another word or a glance Snape turned and left Harry alone with Flint.

Flint waited until he could no longer hear Snape's steps. He whistled in amazement. "What in Merlin's name did you do to get Snape attention like that?" Flint asked putting an arm around Harry and leading them away. "You must be something pretty good for Snape to oust one of my players. Not that he's wrong, I'm just not sure how good you are. You are good right?"

Harry shrugged. "I guess." was his only reply.

Flint shook his head. "You guess? Well what did you do that caught his attention?" Flint asked as they entered the Great Hall. They took the nearest available seats at Slytherin Table.

Harry explained how Draco was teasing Neville about his Remembrall. "Yeah, I saw that. What about it?" Flint asked as he eyed a bowl of fruit. Harry continued with his tale and how he had his first flying lesson. Then he explained how Draco acquired the Remembrall and how he threw it towards the Greenhouses.

"And that's when I notice Snape staring at me from inside one of the Greenhouses." Harry said sounding sheepish. He was actually quite happy that Flint had lead them to the Great Hall, the whole ordeal had left him famished. He reached for a dinner roll when Flint reached out and grabbed his wrist.

"You mean to tell me that you flew all the way from the southern courtyard to the Greenhouses, did a nosedive, caught the orb, stopped a just a foot or two from the ground, on your first time riding a broom?" Flint asked sounding angry. His grip tightened a bit.

Harry wasn't sure what the correct answer was so he just nodded dumbly. "Yeah." he said sounded unsure. He felt Flint let go of his wrist. He quickly grabbed a roll and slightly shifted away from Flint.

Flint's face had a lack of expression as if he was lost in thought. "Wow!" He nearly shouted surprising other students in the Great Hall. "On your first time? Yeah, you're gonna be great." He laughed and gave Harry a playful shove, though it was a bit harder than Harry would have liked. "I can't wait to see what you can do on the pitch." Flint chuckled to himself.

Harry frowned in confusion. "I'm sorry, what I can do where?" he asked before taking a bite of his roll.

Flint slowly looked at Harry as if he had multiple heads. "On the pitch. Where else would you play?" Flint asked shaking his head. "You daft or something?"

Harry sneered at the insult. "Play what?" He asked getting annoyed with the lack of information.

Flint pinched the bridge of his nose and rubbed his forehead. "You have no idea do you? Quidditch you dunder. You're my new Seeker for the Slytherin Quidditch Team." Flint said laughing at Harry with a competitive snarl.

Slytherin table was uproarious over dinner. Most of the first years and Quidditch players were laughing and joking about Harry's new placement on the team. Harry would occasionally glance over to the Gryffindor table and see Ron Weasley fuming and glaring at him.

Harry had been introduced to all the other players. Marcus Flint was in his sixth year and was Slytherin Captain and a Chaser. Adrian Pucey and Cassius Warrington were also Chasers. Miles Bletchley was Keeper while Lucian Bole and Peregrine Derrick were the Slytherin Beaters.

Harry had felt bad for replacing Terence Higgs before he introduced himself. He explained that he knew the last season wasn't good for him and he was considering dropping Quidditch in favor of his studies. He congratulated Harry on being the youngest Seeker in more than a century.

Over the course of dinner Harry had been more curious than normal and noticed occasionally Ron would say something with a sneer and Hermione Granger would stop to glare at him. The longer this went on the closer she placed her face in her book. Eventually Ron said something and Hermione snapped. She stood and scowled at him before leaving the Great Hall. It was something of an oddity to Harry.

He got along great with all the Slytherins in his year even if he didn't share all their views and opinions. But to see Ron purposely go out of his way to insult Granger baffled him. He asked around with some of the older students to see if Housemates acted in such a way. John had told him that it might happen in the other houses, but in Slytherin it couldn't happen.

"With the way the other houses look at us most of the time, we don't have the luxury of being at each other's' throats." he explained. "Most of Hufflepuff,all of Gryffindors and a few Ravenclaws think we're all just a group of slimy snakes waiting to stab them in the back when it becomes convenient. So we've got to look out for each other. That being said. If you didn't have to worry about alienating yourself from your entire house, I guess you'd have the opportunity of messing with one of your own."

Harry had never thought of it that way. He had noticed that not a single Gryffindor was over friendly towards him and most of the Hufflepuffs he had had to deal with were just barely polite. The Ravenclaws were as John had said. The most likely to not instantly despise Slytherin.

With all the excitement of the day Harry decided to pack it in early. He made his way out of the Great Hall, unaware he had a follower. He was about to enter the dungeons when he heard the scuff of a sneaker on stone. He turned around and saw Ron Weasley. "What do you want Weasley?" Harry asked, not in the mood to deal with Ron's antagonizing.

Ron had a frown and an upturned lip of an expression. "How does it feel being a traitor?" Ron asked quickly forming a smile. Harry didn't like his tone, but decided to play it cool.

"Traitor? I don't know what you mean Weasley. Care to elaborate?" Harry replied coolly.

Weasley's ears turned red as his hair as he scoffed "Don't come along all innocent, why are you in Slytherin? You should be in Gryffindor!" Ron nearly shouted. "Siding with those slimy snakes and wanna be Death Eaters, they're responsible for your parents death. Did you know? And look at you, acting all friendly with them."

Harry took a deep breath before he responded which allowed him to get rid of the slight anger that surfaced at the mention of his parents and at the insult to his friends. "For you information, Weasley," Harry replied coldly, "the sorting hat chose to place me in Slytherin and it's where I wanted to go and I'm happy there, not that I have to explain myself to you."

"Well, that doesn't matter Potter. It's a disgrace! What with both of your parents being in Gryffindor and you go and insult their memories by wanting to be sorted into Slytherin!" Weasley huffed, clearly agitated.

"Oh right. To be in Gryffindor, house of the Brave." Harry jeered. "I've seen how brave you can be. Insulting and harassing your own housemates. I'd rather have my friends than anyone like you." Harry crossed his arms feeling he had won that argument."

"How can you call those junior death eaters your friends?" Ron asked rhetorically. "One of them cursed Neville the other day and he couldn't stop spitting bubbles out of his mouth for four hours!"

Harry had heard of this happening. It was funny when he heard it happening, but less so when he heard that Neville was in the Hospital Wing.

"Well, I'm sure Draco won't apologize but I will. Neville Longbottom is a decent chap, and he doesn't deserve that. So if you would pass on the message, he has my sincere apologies." Harry said feeling less and less comfortable with the decreasing space between him and Ron. "Anyway if you don't have anything better to do, I do, you'll excuse me." Harry tried to walk away but was stopped by Weasley who grabbed his arm and spun him back towards them.

"I wasn't finished talking to you yet Potter, it's rude to walk away from someone when the conversation isn't finished. Didn't your parents teach you any manners?" Weasley smirked.

'Over the line'

"Let go of me!" Harry nearly shouted. He yanked his arm away from Ron and glared at him. "I don't think you want to do this. I'm Harry Potter. Not mention it's not proper to speak ill of the dead and especially about those who were as brave as my mother and father. Not to mention that it's disrespectful. Didn't your parents teach you about manners and respect at all? Not to mention loyalty?" Harry sneered nodding towards the other two. Draco would love to be here to insult these little Gryffindors. His lessons about blood superiority are indeed coming in handy.

"I imagine that your parents didn't have time to teach you loyalty, respect or manners. Come to think of it, is it any wonder with the number of you all? What are you? Number 9?" Harry mocked.

Harry didn't even see it coming, before he knew it he was on the ground nursing his jaw. Harry was sure he tasted blood. Harry just smiled a wicked grin, sucking up the blood in his mouth and spitting out.

To the Gryffindors shock, Harry started laughing. "That's right Weasley, let it out, lose control, you don't know any better." Harry said getting up slowly brushing off his pants.

"Slytherin or not, lets see how the world reacts to the headline 'Weasley beats "Boy who lived'. Won't mummy and daddy be proud of you? But then again with all of you will they have time to care?"

Again Harry didn't see the hit. It didn't matter, the more punishment he took from Weasley the more he could discredit him and the more Harry look like a victim.

"Got to admit Weasley, you got quite the right hook" Harry said chiding. "I'm just glad you haven't knocked out any teeth yet. Can't have the Wizarding Saviour with a crooked smile now can we". Harry was now just trying to getting Weasley to attack him, and it wasn't that hard.

"I bet you grew up with the story of the great Harry Potter, who defeated Lord Voldemort" Harry said with great emphases on the end, loving how they cringe at his name. "And now you have no idea what happened to your hero, who you thought would be just like you. A Gryffindor, a kind, caring, and FOOLISH person." Harry yelled at the end. "Did you know that I grew up with muggle relatives? No you didn't. Did you know I was beaten for being a wizard, when I didn't even know who I was? They hoped they could beat the freakishness out of me, my family, my flesh and blood." Harry snarled.

"I hate everything about them, Muggles are disgusting creatures. The man I defeated had the right idea. I still hate him though for taking away my real family. Don't you dare think of me as traitor. If I could kill the Dark Lord again I would. But I would never take myself out of Slytherin house. It is my home." Harry said walking towards Weasley fiercely. "Now the only reason I haven't defended myself or struck back is that you come from a pure blood family, albeit blood traitor."

"So if you want to hit me, hit me you pathetic, filthy muggle loving, BLOOD TRAITOR" Harry yelled now. The next couple hit blurred together as Harry let him beat him. After decided that it was enough Harry grabbed his wrist and shoved him away. "I have no more time to play with you. You should just go back to your dorm. And think about what you've done." Harry said in a very condescending and bored voice.

Harry turned around and started walking toward the great hall to gain the most attention as possibly. Weasley was visibly shaking with anger, he began to reach for his wand, but before anything could continue a bark of "WEASLEY!" shocked them all.

Harry's head whipped around so fast he swore he heard his neck crack.

Professor Severus Snape was swooping down the corridor, his black robes sweeping behind him giving Harry the impression that Snape was gliding rather than walking. The expression on the potion masters face was hard to read, except that his onyx eyes glittered with malice as he came towards them.

"What are you doing Weasley?" Snape barked at the red headed boy.

"Uh...I...erm...I was, um...Potter...and...err..." Weasley continued to stutter.

"SILENCE" Snape once again barked and leaned in closer towards the still shaking boy except he wasn't shaking in anger, but in fear.

The potion master continued, but his voice was only a mere silky whisper, the very one that silenced their first potion class into attention.

"Enough of your infernal stuttering boy, I asked you what you were doing, not for a ramble of nonsense. Care to answer?" Snape asked while raising one of his dark eyebrows.

"No? Well let me tell you what I think. I think that you were going to perform magic on another student, not just any student but one you had just finished assaulting. As you know, no magic of any type is permitted on the corridors. So for that it will be a detention with Mr Filtch every weekend this month and the next at 7:00pm. Is that clear?" Snape sneered, and that is a sneer Harry thought.

"Y-yes sir" Weasley replied while trying to unsuccessfully glare at Harry.

"Oh and one more thing Mr Weasley" Snape drawled, "That will be 50 points from Gryffindor for your assault of Mr. Potter." Snape said as he eyed Harry up and down. For the first time, Harry got the feeling that Snape wasn't looking for something to criticize, he was actually looking at him as a person.

"But professor, he-"Snape's head turned so fast Harry was sure his sudden change of facial expression would have killed anyone else with that glare.

"Do NOT argue with me Mr Weasley! Would you rather me take the four of you to the Headmaster, to have him deal with the assault and attempted cursing of another student. I did not think so". Snape finished in triumph.

With one last glare to Harry by Weasley he hurriedly walked away but with a shout of "A further 5 points from Gryffindor, no running is permitted in the corridors." But it didn't seem to matter as Ron continued to retreat as quickly as possible.

Harry turned to follow them but the professor had other ideas.

"Potter," Snape sighed as he surveyed Harry from seemingly emotionless eyes, it looked to Harry that he was having a conflict inside himself and so decided to remain silent. Harry had started to wonder how much of the conversation had Snape heard. After many seconds or was it minutes?

Harry heard Snape sigh once more and Harry looked up to see him pinch the bridge of his hooked nose. "Here Potter, this will help with the soreness and anything else you let Weasley inflict on you" Snape said while smoothly pulling out a small vial from his cloak. He seemed to drop in Harry's hand; almost trying to avoid contact with him.

Harry looked at the small vile, which read 'minor healing serum, level 2'.

"Should that not be enough, take yourself to the hospital wing. I'd imagine you can handle that."

Snape said with a small pause before continuing. "Return to the Common room, I'm sure you have something from your other classes to work on, seeing as you and Mr. Malfoy handed in your Potions assignment in first." Snape said in what seemed like a compliment. His eyed betrayed the concern for this young boy in front of him. Without a word more, he turned and again seemingly gliding away. Harry still wasn't exactly sure what to make of Professor Snape.

CHAPTER END


	10. Resentment and Revenge

Harry had been looking forward to and equally dreading this morning. Snape had given Marcus permission slips for the Quidditch Pitch and excused them from all their classes that day. All of Slytherin was a buzz with anticipation. It hadn't helped that a few nights ago a mysterious package had arrived for him during dinner. The note had explained it was a Nimbus 2000, the fastest broom in the world. When Harry looked to see if a Staff member was approaching to take it away from him, he saw Professor Dumbledore smiling and gave him a nod of approval.

Harry made his way to the Great Hall for breakfast and found Marcus and the rest of the team waiting for him. "Morning Potter!" Marcus said sounding suspiciously excited. Harry eyed him for a moment as he walked passed him.

"Morning Marcus" Harry said guardedly. He sat down and looked at the morning spread. He was about to reach for something when half of the Quidditch team started snickering. "You lot alright?" he asked looking over his shoulder.

Marcus smacked Pucey upside the back of his head. "Yeah, nothing wrong at all Potter." Marcus said with a grin.

Harry shook it off as some sort of Team behavior he'd get to know later. Turning back to his breakfast he reach for a stack of waffles and put a few on his plate and made a pile of strawberries next to it. He reached for the maple syrup and began pouring it on his waffles when all hell broke out next to him.

The entire Quidditch team, with the exception of Warrington, sighed extremely loud and threw up their hands in frustration. Warrington meanwhile had a rather large grin on his face and had his arms crossed with smug satisfaction.

Harry had had enough. "What is wrong with the lot of you?!" He nearly shouted at them. They all stopped their frustrated reacting and looked at Harry before they all began laughing.

Marcus composed himself first and sat down next to Harry. "Ok, ok. This is something that goes back pretty far." Marcus said wiping a tear from his eye. "It's a Slytherin Quidditch team tradition. The night before any new player or players first practice, the other member of the team get together and, well." He looked back at the others as they started digging through their pockets.

"We make bets on what the newbies will have for breakfast." Marcus said chuckling a little. "Warrington had 3 sickles on Pancakes or Waffles, a an extra 2 sickles if you used syrup." Harry looked over at Warrington who was receiving his winnings from the rest of the team. He gave a wink and thumbs up.

Harry smiled and laughed a little himself. "But what's stopping someone from just asking me? Or teaming up to split the profits?" Harry asked as he started eating his waffles. Marcus looked at him and nodded.

"We had thought of that, but it's a simple gentlemen's agreement." Marcus said as he pulled out 5 sickles. He slid them down the table into Warrington's waiting hand. "Look, Potter, I know the school thinks we're all just a bunch of traitorous bastards, but not to each other." Marcus said before standing up and smacking Harry on the back. "Now finish up and meet me at the Quidditch Pitch."

Harry had quickly scarfed down his breakfast and made his way to the Quidditch Pitch. He found Marcus waiting for him with a large wooden case, a golf club and a bucket of golf balls. Before Harry could asked Marcus had him doing laps. Harry was just glad he could be in the air again and not have to worry about being in trouble this time.

"Hey, Potter, come down!' Marcus yelled as he walked out on the pitch. He was carrying the large wooden crate under his arm and the golf club over his shoulder.

Harry adjusted his speed and dived towards the ground. He softly pulled out of his dive and dismounted next to Marcus. "Very nice," said Marcus, his eyes glinting. "I see what Snape saw in you. You really are a natural. I'm just going to teach you the rules this evening, then you'll be joining team practice three times a week." He opened the crate. Inside were four different-sized balls.

"Right," said Marcus. "Now, Quidditch is easy enough to understand, but I'll be damned if you think it's easy to play. There are seven players on each side. Three of them are called Chasers. One of which is right in front of you" Marcus finished in that odd smile.

"Three Chasers, your one of them, simple enough so far," Harry repeated, as Marcus took out a bright red ball about the size of a soccer ball.

"This ball's called the Quaffle," said Marcus. "The Chasers throw the Quaffle to each other and try and get it through one of the hoops to score a goal. Ten points every time the Quaffle goes through one of the hoops. Follow me so far?"

"The Chasers throw the Quaffle and put it through the hoops to score," Harry recited. "So - that's sort of like basketball on broomsticks with six hoops, isn't it."

Marcus squinted one side of his face. "If I were you, I wouldn't compare Quidditch to Muggle Basketball, kay?" Marcus said moving on. "You'll piss off certain people that way."

"Now, there's another player on each side who's called the Keeper –that suck up, Wood is the Keeper for Gryffindor. They have to fly around our hoops and stop the other team from scoring."

"Three Chasers, one Keeper," said Harry, who was determined to remember it all. "And they play with the Quaffle. Okay, got that. So what are they for?" He pointed at the three balls left inside the box.

"I'll show you now," said Marcus said with a wicked smile. "Take this." He handed Harry a small club, a bit like a short baseball bat.

"You're gonna get a first hand lesson to what the Bludgers do," Marcus said. "These two are the Bludgers." He showed Harry two identical balls, jet black and slightly smaller than the red Quaffle. Harry noticed that they seemed to be straining to escape the straps holding them inside the box.

"I'd back up if I were you," Marcus warned Harry. He bent down and freed one of the Bludgers.

At once, the black ball rose high in the air and then pelted straight at Harry's face. Harry swung at it with the bat to stop it from breaking his nose, and sent it zigzagging away into the air - it zoomed around their heads and then shot at Marcus, who took out his wand and with a spell Harry didn't know managed to drive it to the ground.

"See." Marcus said smiling, forcing the struggling Bludger back into the crate and strapping it down safely. "The Bludgers rocket around, trying to knock players off their brooms. That's why you have two Beaters on each team, it's their job to protect their side from the Bludgers and try and knock them toward the other team. So, think you've got all that."

"Three Chasers try and score with the Quaffle; the Keeper guards the goal posts; the Beaters keep the Bludgers away from their team," Harry reeled off.

"Ok, I know you're just trying to get the hang of this, but repeating everything I say is very annoying" Marcus said rubbing his temples

"Er - have the Bludgers ever killed anyone." Harry asked, hoping he sounded offhand.

"Never at Hogwarts." Marcus said as he forced the Bludger back in the case. "We've had a couple of broken jaws but nothing worse than that. Wood was even knock out his first game, took a Bludger to the head." Marcus snickered under his breath.

"Now, moving on, the last member of the team is the Seeker. That's you. And you don't have to worry about the Quaffle or the Bludgers unless they crack my head open." Harry gaped openly in slight worry for a moment but Marcus was surprisingly quick to reassure him.

"Don't worry, our Beaters are more than a match for the Bludgers, or at least they'd better be or they're facing extra practices and whatever else I can think of." Marcus reached into the crate and took out the fourth and last ball.

Compared with the Quaffle and the Bludgers, it was tiny, about the size of a large walnut. It was bright gold and had little fluttering silver wings.

"This," said Marcus, "is the Golden Snitch, and it's the most important ball of the lot. It's very hard to catch because it's so fast and difficult to see. It's the Seeker's job to catch it. You've got to be quick, sharp, and sometimes stealthy. But being on the Slytherin team you gotta throw in a little deceptive. It's your job to get it before the other team's Seeker, because whichever Seeker catches the Snitch wins his team an extra hundred and fifty points, so they nearly always win. That's why Seekers get fouled so much. A game of Quidditch only ends when the Snitch is caught, so it can go on for ages - I think the record is three months; they had to keep bringing on substitutes so the players could get some sleep."

"Well, that's it - any questions." Harry shook his head. He understood what he had to do all right; it was doing it that was going to be the problem. "We won't practice with the Snitch yet," said Marcus, carefully shutting it back inside the crate, "it's too dark, we might lose it. Wouldn't want Severus to find out we lost a Snitch." Marcus said with a smile.

Harry grinned back,"We?" Marcus looked at him surprised, but laughed any way.

He twirled his wand and he bucket of golf balls flew towards them and a few minutes later Harry was up in the air, Marcus was hitting the golf balls with the golf club he had earlier, as hard as he could in every direction for Harry to catch.

Harry didn't miss a single one, and Marcus was ecstatic. They spent a few hours testing Harry's speed and reflexes. Marcus had him hover next to him before letting him catch a freshly whacked golf ball. "That Quidditch cup'll have our name on it again this year," said Marcus confidently as they trudged back up to the castle.

Harry helped Marcus return the Quidditch supplies to the Broom closet, which Marcus had knocked the door before entering. He gave a sigh of relief as he entered. Harry looked at him expecting an explanation.

Marcus furrowed his brow. "I, uhm." Marcus failed to make words. "Its one of those things the adults would say, "I'll tell you when you're older."" He gave Harry a wink and put the Quidditch balls back where they belonged.

They walked about the steps as the noon bell started to ring. "Well, I'd say we're just in time for lunch." Marcus said leading the way.

Harry was about to enter the Great Hall when he was shoved from behind and nearly ran face first into the door. "Watch where you're going Potter." said Ron Weasley from behind him.

Harry had been on the fence about how he wanted to deal with Ron, but this was the final push in more ways than one. Marcus turned around and threateningly approached Ron and the other Gryffindors. "Let 'em be Marcus." Harry said. "He's not worth the effort."

Harry sat in silence mostly during lunch. Deep in thought. He wasn't sure how to do what he wanted to do. He returned to the Slytherin Common Room without a word. He sat down in front of the fire place and just stared at it. He was so deep in thought he was oblivious to Blaise entering the Common Room and approaching him.

"Harry, you've been scheming away for three days now." Blaise said sitting down on the other end of the couch and putting his feet on the ottoman. "I know that Weasley slugged you pretty good but did he rattle your brain to. What could you be thinking that takes this much planning"? Blaise asked as he set down his transfiguration work. Harry looked up and smiled.

"Well as you know the Weasley family is one of the oldest and largest light sided pureblood families there is. I've done a bit of research and I found not one Weasley in over three hundred years has been in Slytherin. Of course there were the odd Ravenclaw and more than enough Hufflepuffs. But of course the most sorted of the Weasleys was Gryffindor." Harry said standing up and leaning over the fireplace.

Blaise still not following gestured his hand in a motion telling Harry to continue. "Blaise my friend, in this generation, do you know how many Weasley there are?" Harry asked not really expecting Blaise to know.

Blaise thought for a moment. "If I'm not mistaken there are seven, two having already graduated and one not yet attending" Blaise said and smile as Harry's eyes widened.

"Wow Blaise,I'm surprised you knew that, but yes seven in total and three not here" Harry said taking his seat again. "Now if I was to take revenge on our 'Favourite Weasley' Ronald, how would I go about this? Being that it would have to be something untraceable, very satisfying, and something that Ronald knew I did for him, but obviously something he could never put on me"

Harry said looking rather pleased with himself.

"You have something that falls into all those, and is devilishly awesome" Blaise said smiling.

"Why of course" Harry said laughing at his own brilliance.

"Harry, I'm still a little lost as to why you brought up the whole 'No Weasleys in Slytherin' thing, does that have anything to do with anything important, or was it a simply yet informative lesson in 'know your enemy', cause either way, good show" Blaise said clapping slowly in a mocking gesture

Harry smiled and bowed to Blaise in mock appreciation. Harry always did enjoy Blaise's company over his other friends when it came to plotting and such. Blaise always gave a different perspective on revenge that Draco just did not have. Theodore just wasn't the kind of guy for a long and prepared revenge. And as for Pansy, Harry just didn't have the patience for her in these things.

"Now this is what we're going to do, of course we're going to need the others help, but then again." Harry said pulling out his notebook again, he started flipping through pages, "Draco might brag, and let out exactly what we're trying to do, unintentionally of course. As for Pansy she also might gossip and let it slip, again unintentionally. And Theodore, well he wouldn't say anything, but he would just sit and stare out the window and well, I got nothing about that, it's just weird".

Harry and Blaise just stare at each other for a moment, until they burst out in laughter. "Yeah I always did think it was a little weird" Blaise said trying to catch his breath.

Blaise was in awe of Harry's plan. It was so simply, but it would be the most effective revenge that they could accomplish with their limited resources.

They were going to turn Ginny Weasley into a Slytherin.


	11. Halloween Night

It was just before dinner when Harry overheard Pansy giggling with the other First Year Slytherin girls. Rumor had it that Ronald Weasley had driven Granger to tears and she ran off to the Girl's Washroom on the main floor. Harry found it increasingly interesting that Weasley would actively alienate his own house. Harry shrugged it off and made his way to the Slytherin table to start his dinner.

A few minutes passed as Harry reached for a second helping of mashed potatoes when the doors to the Great Hall burst open. Professor Quirrell came sprinting into the hall, his turban askew and terror on his face. Everyone stared as he reached Professor Dumbledore's chair, slumped against the table, and gasped, "Troll — in the dungeons — thought you ought to know."

He then sank to the floor in a dead faint. There was an uproar. It took several purple firecrackers exploding from the end of Professor Dumbledore's wand to bring silence.

"Prefects," he rumbled, "lead your Houses back to the dormitories immediately!"

Rebecca stood up and started delegating collecting the different years of students to different prefects. "Flint, we're short on Prefects, you take of the First Years. Take them to the Library. Now!" She demanded with not an ounce of insecurity.

Flint scowled but nodded. "Potter! Front and center." Flint said pointing at Harry who quickly ran towards Flint. "Ok, I'm not gonna pretend I know all the Firsties, are they all here?" .

Harry did a quick scan and head count of his friends and other first years. "Yeah, we're all here." He said as soon as he was sure.

Flint nodded. "Alright, First Years, this way!" He shouted waving his arm, gesturing them out of the Great Hall.

"How could a troll get in?" Harry asked as they turned a corner towards the Library. Draco merely shrugged and followed Flint.

They passed different groups of people hurrying in different directions. Harry caught a glimpse of the First Year Gryffindors and his mind slowed down. Like he was forgetting something important. He say Percy shouting and leading them in the same arrogant manner he did anything regarding his Prefect Authority. Harry saw Ronald for a moment and then it clicked in his head.

Harry stopped and grabbed Draco by the arm. "Granger!" Harry said looking back towards the Great Hall. "She doesn't know about the Troll."

Draco frowned. "So, leave her, we should get to the Library." he said nodding back towards the group.

Harry shook his head. "I can't do it. I'm gonna go find her. You coming?" Harry said before running towards the Great Hall.

There was a moment of apprehension on Draco's face before resignation and running after Harry. They avoided the other groups of students and made their way to the Girl's Washroom.

They were a hallway away when they heard footsteps behind them. "Prefect! Hide." Harry hissed grabbing Draco and shuffling behind a suit of armor.

Peering around it, however, they saw not a Prefect, but Snape. He crossed the corridor and disappeared from view.

"What's he doing?" Harry whispered. "Why isn't he down in the dungeons with the rest of the teachers?"

Draco only had a look of bewilderment and shrugged.

Quietly as possible, they crept along the next corridor after Snape's fading footsteps.

"He's heading for the third floor," Harry said.

"Can you smell something?" Draco said holding his sleave to his nose.

Harry sniffed and a foul stench reached his nostrils, a mixture of old socks and the kind of public toilet no one seems to clean. And then they heard it — a low grunting, and the shuffling footfalls of gigantic feet. Draco pointed at the end of a passage to the left, something huge was moving toward them. They shrank into the shadows and watched as it emerged into a patch of moonlight.

It was a horrible sight. Twelve feet tall, its skin was a dull, granite gray, its great lumpy body like a boulder with its small bald head perched on top like a coconut. It had short legs thick as tree trunks with flat, horny feet. The smell coming from it was incredible. It was holding a huge wooden club, which dragged along the floor because its arms were so long.

The troll stopped next to a doorway and peered inside. It waggled its long ears, making up its tiny mind, then slouched slowly into the room.

"The keys in the lock," Harry muttered. "We could lock it in."

Draco scowled, clearly masking fear. "Then just do it!" he hissed.

They edged toward the open door, mouths dry, praying the troll wasn't about to come out of it. With one great leap, Harry managed to grab the key, slam the door, and lock it.

"Yes!"

Flushed with their victory, they started to run back up the passage, but as they reached the corner they heard something that made their hearts stop. A high, petrified scream, and it was coming from the chamber they'd just chained up.

"Oh, come on!" Draco shouted under his breath.

"It's the girls' bathroom!" Harry gasped.

It was the last thing Harry wanted to do, but what choice did he have? Wheeling around, they sprinted back to the door and turned the key, fumbling in their panic. Harry pulled the door open and they ran inside.

Harry and Draco were confronted with the sight of Granger backed up against the far wall in shock; the Troll was slowly advancing on her.

"Well, oh great and mighty Potter, what do we do now?" Draco mocked.

"How do I know? I've never faced a troll before!" Harry scathingly replied.

"You'd better think of something quick as Granger is about to become troll meat!" Draco said, his voice slightly higher than usual and in any other situation, Harry would have found it hilarious.

Hermione Granger let out a scream that could rival a banshee that caused Harry and Draco to wince slightly and Harry had to cover his ears at the high pitched sound.

"For God's sake, enough of the hysterics Granger!" Draco shouted, and surprised with the sound of his voice, she immediately shut up.

"Help me please! Do something, anything..." Granger pitifully whimpered.

The Troll, that was shocked with the loud shout abruptly turned around waving it's club slightly in the air smashed all of the sinks on the left hand side as it turned round to face Harry and Draco; consequently sending shards of porcelain everywhere and the boys had no time to duck the attack of bits of sink, pipe and water that came their way.

"Nice one Draco." Harry snarled, wiping the bleeding cut at his cheek where a sharp bit of porcelain from the sink had hit him. Hermione, it seemed, had been able to discover the wonders of movement and had decided to duck and she was now curled in a ball I the corner; slightly wet from the water spurting from the nearby taps.

Harry too was half drenched and Harry saw that Draco fared not that better. Draco also had a cut but it was on his eyebrow, the water dripping down from his hair caused the blood to run further down his face.

"Draco, go and get Hermione. I'll deal with the troll." Harry muttered, not keeping his eye on the troll that was slowly advancing on him. It took Harry a second to realise that it wasn't him that the troll was coming, but Draco.

With no rational thought Harry reacted. He leapt for a large piece of a broken sink. As soon as he had the piece in hand he ran at the troll and drove the broken piece into the troll's leg. The troll yelled out with a deep grunt voice and swung it club in Harry's direction, but he had already moved behind it.

After pulling out the broken sink piece the troll limped over quickly, making a loud noise that echoed off the walls, it gave a loud roar and with a grunt the troll lifted its club high in the air.

Harry retaliated by pulling his wand out of his sleeve, Harry saw that Draco had reached Hermione and he was pulling by the hem of her robe; quite violently in fact to get her to move.

Harry lifted his own wand higher, and just as the troll was going to bring down his arm to strike him, Harry moved his wrist in a 'swish and flick' motion and calmly and determinedly said,

"Wingardium Leviosa!"

The club hovered above the Troll's head. the Troll looked dumbly at his now empty hand before he looked up. Harry swiftly and forcefully whipped his wand in a downward movement, causing the club to accelerate down onto the troll's head obviously caving it in. The troll stood still for a few seconds before toppling on itself, its huge feet nearly knocking Harry's chin as they rose up in the air before hitting the ground. The sound of the troll falling made the whole room tremble and a blanket of dust fall on them.

Harry wiped some of the dust out of his hair all the while hoping that the cut on his cheek had stopped bleeding, Harry looked up and felt his heartbeat quicken. The troll had fallen in front of the door. They couldn't leave.

Hermione Granger had a hold of Draco's robes in a vice like grip due to her white knuckles and she had buried her head in his chest. Her shoulders moved occasionally so Harry surmised that she had just finished crying.

Draco caught Harry's smirk and glared, all the while trying to untangle the girl's grip from his robes without much success. Draco's cut in his eyebrow had stopped bleeding but half of his face was covered in watery blood, and his pristine white-blond hair looked grey due to the dust that covered all three of them.

Draco finally admitted defeat and mouthed 'Help me!' and Harry just shrugged his shoulders and dust off his robes. Hermione broke out in deep wheezing sobs again, but this time she cried into Draco's shoulder.

Eventually Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Snape arrived. They were able to remove the Troll corpse and then demanded to know what exactly had happened.

Snape bent over the troll. He quickly stood at his full height and had a stone cold look on his face. "Dead." he simply said

Professor McGonagall was looking at Draco and Harry. Harry had never

seen her look so angry. Her lips were white. Hopes of getting out of the Girl's Washroom unpunished rapidly faded from Harry's mind.

"What on earth were you thinking of?" said Professor McGonagall, with cold fury in her voice.

Harry looked at Draco, who was still standing with Hermione clutching to him. "You're lucky you weren't killed. Why aren't you in your dormitory?"

Snape gave Harry a swift, piercing look. Harry looked at the floor. He wished Hermione would stop crying and as if his prayers were answered she did indeed stop crying and found her voice.

"Please, Professor McGonagall, they were looking for me." Hermione said releasing Draco and stepping forward.

"Miss Granger!" McGonagall said sounding equal parts furious and concerned.

"I had been here since my last class. I avoided dinner and hadn't heard about the troll." Hermione said as she wiped her face on her sleeve, not that it helped much.

"If they hadn't found me, I'd be dead now. Draco manage to distract it and Harry hit it with its own club. They didn't have time to come and fetch anyone. It was about to finish me off when they arrived."

"Well, in that case..." said Professor McGonagall, staring at the three of them, "Miss Granger,

you foolish girl, how could you think of tackling a mountain troll on your own?"

Hermione hung her head. "Miss Granger, five points will be taken from Gryffindor for this," said Professor McGonagall. "I'm very disappointed in you. If you're not hurt at all, you'd better get off to Gryffindor tower. Students are finishing the feast in their houses."

Hermione left.

Professor McGonagall turned to Harry and Draco. "Well, I still say you were lucky, but not many first years could have taken on a full-grown mountain troll." she said. She was about to continue but was cut short by Professor Snape.

"Indeed. Lucky is a more polite phrasing of what you did!" Snape said sounding furious, but with the lack of venom Harry had come a custom to. "You're actions not only saved the life of another student, but protected Hogwarts from a dangerous beast. I find that most deserving of 20 points each. Now return to your Common Room before I change my mind and decide punishment in order."

They hurried out of the chamber and didn't speak at all until they approached the dungeons. It

was a relief to be away from the smell of the troll, quite apart from anything else.

"Can you believe it? 40 Points, just for saving Granger from that Troll." Draco asked sounding incredulous.

"She might not have needed saving if we hadn't locked the thing in with her," Harry reminded him. "Well she wouldn't have needed saving in the first place if it wasn't for Weasley." Harry scowled, but then had an epiphany. "But all in all, I'd say 40 points was worth it. The House Cup will be Slytherin's for sure this year."

Draco laughed and nodded. Harry just smiled as he knew that Granger would be so grateful of him that she'd do practically anything, even if it meant helping him ensure Ginny Weasley was sorted into Slytherin.


	12. Hermione Granger

It had been more than a week since Halloween and the school was still abuzz with gossip and rumors regarding the Troll. Harry and Draco had decided to stay quiet regarding their involvement with the Troll and Granger. It was one thing to be able to boast about defeating a Troll, but it was another to to aggressively annoy Professor Snape. He had made it clear the following morning that the incident was not something he wanted the student body to know about.

With the help of his friends and a bit of pestering, Harry had managed to complete a week's worth of assignments in 3 nights. The rest of the week was spent with Blaise in the Library, researching how the Sorting Hat functioned. If it was something that could be tampered with or effected.

Reluctantly they came to the conclusion that Hat was impregnable and any efforts would be in vain. They continued to learn what they could about the Hat from what limited resources Hogwart's Library had on the ancient piece of cloth. By the end of the second night, Harry and Blaise had come to the conclusion that the only way to ensure that Ginny would be in Slytherin, was to make her want to be in Slytherin.

They discussed the ideas of making a Weasley desire to be in Slytherin. As Harry had said before, it wasn't something that had happened before. If they did this, it would be completely unprecedented. But they would need to know how to do it. As they approached the bare wall that hid the Common Room entrance Harry had an epiphany.

'Granger' he thought. He had just saved her life, she'd be more than happy to help him, and to make matter worse, or better depending on who was involved, she had more than enough reason to despise Ronald Weasley.

The next morning Harry quickly made his way to Potions and found that as per the norm, Granger was there first. She was standing politely outside the door, with a rather large book in front of her. Harry did a quick check down both ends of the hall before approaching her.

"Morning, Hermione." Harry said sounding friendly. He just smiled and watched her almost drop her book.

"Oh, good morning, Pott- Harry." Hermione said shuffling her things around. "I never really got the chance to thank you for what you did Halloween night." She slipped her book into her bag and set it down. "I'd be dead if it wasn't for you." She said finding it hard to look Harry in the eye.

"And Draco." Harry pointed out with a smile.

Hermione seemed to be annoyed by that fact. "Yes, and him to." she said before finally look Harry face to face. "But, thank you."

Harry smiled and shrugged. "I was just doing what anyone would do." He said trying his best to make it sound trivial. "But to be honest, I have given it a bit of thought since that night. What keeps coming back to me is who's fault this is." Harry frowned and cupped a closed fist dramatically.

Hermione didn't seem to understand what he was getting at. "Who's fault what is? It was a Troll attack. Unless you want to figure out how the Troll got into the Castle, I'm not sure what else there is." Hermione rambled.

Harry shook his head. "Not that, there's a much simpler answer. If you had been with the rest of Gryffindor, then you'd never be in danger of that Troll." Harry said rotating his wrist in a continuing gesture. "But you weren't with your house when the Troll attacked. Instead, you were in the bathroom crying."

Hermione frowned and blushed. "How do you know that?!" She asked sounding indignant.

Harry smiled and chuckled. "Word gets around rather fast when one of your closest friends prioritizes gossip over class work. Doesn't matter." Harry said ignoring it and moving on. "What does matter is that you were put in a position to be endangered, because Ronald Weasley is an ass!" Harry whispered the last part.

Hermione looked wide eyed. It was obvious that she had never considered it that way. Harry could see the metaphorical gears turning in her head. She was realizing how much of her plights and anguish was caused by Weasley. "So what?" She asked clearly upset, but not at Harry.

"Well if you want to get back at him, meet me by Hagrid's after class today." Harry whispered as Professor Snape finally approached. Harry acted as if he had been ignoring Hermione the whole time and not once even spared her a glance. As Potions let out, Harry and friends made their way to the Great Hall. He quickly spun a tale about meeting with Hagrid after class and that he wouldn't be long.

Eventually Transfiguration lets out and Harry collected his things and made his way to Greenhouse 17. He found Balthazar curled up in a large plant pot. "He boy, wanna come with me to the dark forest for a hunt?" Harry said nudging the Orobo-Raven. "You know the fat mice that live around Hagrid's hut."

At the mention of the fat mice, Balthazar uncoiled from within the pot and climbed out of it. Harry offered his arm and Balthazar wrapped around it and slithered up Harry's arm and found a comfortable place wrapped around Harry's shoulders. Harry had read that the colder the ground was the more Balthazar was likely to sleep, even to the point that he would ignore his need to hunt and feed. He'd either need to hibernate over Winter, Migrate south for warmth, or he'd need to be kept indoors all winter.

The first option would be the easiest, but Harry wasn't sure if he wanted to say goodbye to Balthazar every winter. Flying South was the same problem. That only left Harry with the option of making sure Balthazar was feed in Greenhouse 17 all winter. Bragforth's material on Orobo-Ravens had theorized that while they flew their inherent magics kept them at a most optimal body temperature, but nesting would cool them down and make them lethargic.

Harry approached Hagrid's and jostled Balthazar awake and assisted him in launching into the air with a gently toss. This was almost routine for Harry. Hagrid knew to expect Harry and Balthazar a couple times and week and had even rearranged a pile of kindling into a respectable seat suitable for Harry.

Harry watched as Balthazar would fly in and out of the tree line of the Dark Forest. Occasionally diving towards the ground. Harry was sure that he just liked terrifying the woodland critter most of the time.

As time past Harry heard someone making their way towards Hagrid's hut. He stood up and turned around. Carefully stepping down the stone pathway was Hermione Granger. Harry waved as she approached. She smiled weakly and waved back. She seemed to be anxious as she made her way towards him and then seemed to stop before she made it 10 feet of him.

Harry noticed as Balthazar emerged from the treeline and landed on his shoulder. Balthazar was staring at Hermione with his hood flared out and his wings raised. It was clear that Balthazar mistook Hermione as a threat and was intent on protecting Harry.

Harry turned away from Hermione to protect his secret of Parseltongue. "Easy now, she's a friend." Harry whispered. He had slowly become accustomed to speaking Parseltongue. He had just recently started hearing the difference between his normal voice and Parseltongue. "Go on, you're scaring her."

Harry nudged Balthazar who took flight and landed on Hagrid's Hut, still keeping his gaze on Hermione.

Harry saw the fear on her face and approached her instead. "Oh, don't mind Balthazar, he's just overprotective of me sometimes." Harry said with a smile. "I'm glad you decided to come."

Hermione hadn't taken her eyes off Balthazar as Harry spoke. "What is it?" Hermione asked sounding very fearful. "I've never seen anything like that, not even in any book."

Harry nodded and looked over his shoulder at Balthazar. "Balthazar is an Orobo-Raven. From what I've gathered there hasn't been one in record history for a couple centuries." Harry said leading Hermione to where he had been sitting. "Don't worry, he won't attack you or anything, not unless you try something." He laughed a little.

Hermione seemed to get over her fear and looked away from Balthazar. "So what did you mean earlier, get back at Ron?" she asked taking a seat next to Harry on the kindling. "I'm not sure I want to be involved with anything drastic."

Harry nodded and smirked. "Well, how about I explain my plan and you let me know if you're ok with it or not?" Harry asked as he took out a notebook he was using to keep his plans in.

Over the next ten minutes Harry explained his interactions with Ronald and the beating he took. He explained what he planned to do to Ginny Weasley and how he wasn't sure how to do it. Finally he came to what he wanted Hermione to do.

"I need someone in Gryffindor to learn all they can about him." Harry said as he put his notebook away. "I need to know as much as I can about the Weasley's and most specifically, Ginny Weasley. So bottom line, I'm asking you to spy on Ronald."

Hermione seemed to staring at a patch of ground. "That is a, pretty, intense idea Harry." Hermione said as she seemed to come with terms with his plan. "Its nothing over the top or cruel as I imagined but it's still more than I could have expected." She rubbed her hands together nervously. "So you just need to know more about the Weasleys and Ginny. So all you want me to do is learn as much as I can and pass it on to you?"

Harry nodded. "Yup. Just get to know them. Though, I'm not asking you to make friends with him, that would just be mean." Harry said with a smirk. "He's just insufferable most of the time."

They shared a laugh and Harry realized he was getting through to her. "I'm gonna see what I can do about Percy and the Weasley Twins, Fred and George. You'll be working on Ronald." Harry said. "Percy seems to be easy enough, just apply certain strokes of his ego and some admiration of his Prefect responsibilities. The Twins, I'm not so sure about. Other than being on the Quidditch team and a reputation as pranksters, I've got nothing. I'm gonna ask around some of the older Slytherins to see if anyone knows anything."

Hermione nodded. "You've given this some thought. I'm, impressed, even if I don't want to be." Hermione said but noticed the smirk Harry had. "Impressing someone isn't always a good thing Harry, you should be aware of that by now. You might just impress the wrong people one day and find yourself in a situation you don't want to be." She was a bit snappish and harsh.

There was a snap of a twig in the forest that surprised them both and Balthazar dove from the Hut towards the forest. Seconds later they saw a shrew scurrying around trying to avoid Balthazar, but to no avail as he landed on top of the rodent and secured it in his talons before administering a venomous bite.

"Sometimes I'm glad he's not an owl." Harry said watching as Balthazar held onto the shrew and it's flailing slowed. "I've heard that Owls like to present their masters with, presents. Mostly recent kills. Balthazar doesn't kill anything he doesn't plan on eating." By now Balthazar had wrapped his body around the shrew and covered himself with his wings. "He's swallowing it now. He's a shy eater." Harry snickered at the idea of his Orobo-Raven being shy.

"I think he's terrifying, but I kind of get the appeal. He's quite extraordinary to look at." Hermione said as she stood up. "But back to this plan of yours. I think I will help you. Honestly, I don't much care for Ron, he's crude, he's rude, a Bully, and a Beast. He needs to taught a lesson."

Harry was eggstatic. Convincing her was a bit easier than he thought it would have been. "That's great. I'm glad you came around." He said standing up and brushing his pants of bits of wood. "I'm gonna see if I can get my hands on some Keeper's Books. It will make this easier."

Hermione looked surprised. "Keeper's Books? I've read about those. Whatever is written in one book will show up in it's twin." Hermione said slipping into her bookworm mode. "They were designed in the late 1700's to ensure that if someone got their hands on a Wizard's research that Wizard would have a safe copy somewhere else."

"Well, I figured that this way we can talk without being seen together and ruining your cover and my reputation." Harry said as he started making his way back to the castle.

"What about, Balthazar. Won't he need to come back with us?" Hermione asked as she started to follow Harry. "Not that I'm worried or anything."

Harry shook his head. "Nah, Balthazar has been living on the grounds since the school year started. He'll be fine. Hagrid set him up with a little getaway that's always warm." Harry explained. "Now, this is where we part ways. I'm gonna head to the library and see if I can find my friends, and you're gonna head to the Gryffindor Common Room to figure out how you're gonna learn about Ronald."


	13. Fred and George

Harry sat at the Slytherin table enjoying his breakfast on a rather lazy Saturday morning. No class, no quidditch practice. Just time to relax, and maybe figure out how to befriend the Weasley Twins. He had ask John Sonarous if he knew anything about them.

"The Weasley Twins? Only through reputation. They seem to avoid the older Slytherins and Ravenclaws." John said as he laid out on a couch in the Slytherin Common Room petting his rather large cat. "I figure it's because they don't want to piss us off. From what I've heard though is they spend more time in detention than any other students in the entire school."

Harry nodded and made some quick notes on scrap parchment he kept in his pocket. "So why do they spend so much time in detention? You'd think they'd avoid it feverishly. Do they enjoy it?" Harry asked curiously. This was the closest thing to useful information he'd gotten so far.

John shrugged. "No idea. Like I said, they tend to leave the older Slytherin and Ravenclaws alone. Why the sudden interest in the Weasleys? Planning on competing for Hogwarts most annoying?" John asked setting aside an empty plate with a smile but suddenly lost his smile. "I was joking, please don't try to be like them."

Harry shook his head. "Nothing like that. It's just." Harry felt apprehensive about telling someone his plan to turn the youngest Weasley to Slytherin. "If I told you, it would ruin." Harry said hoping he sounded coy. More likely he came off as unsure and immature.

John shrugged before gathering his things, saying his goodbyes and leaving the Great Hall. Harry watched as the Weasley Twins slowly entered the Great Hall and sat down at the Gryffindor Table. Harry did his best not to seen watching them but was not as subtle as he thought he was when Theodore sat down next to him.

"What's so interesting about the Weasleys?" Theodore asked reaching for the porridge. "Does this have anything to do with what you and Blaise are sneaking around about and what's got you getting friendly with Granger?" Theodore asked cutting an apple into his bowl.

Harry sighed. In the months he had known Theodore he had somehow forgotten how silently observant he was. He was usually seen not paying attention, but always listening. Always listening.

"You can't say anything to Draco or Pansy, they'd just ruin it." Harry said in a sharp whisper. Theodore nodded and began eating his breakfast. Harry ran his hand through his hair in frustration. He hadn't planned on telling anyone else.

Harry quickly ran through the entire plan all the while Theodore continued to eat his breakfast.

Harry finally finished with a deep sigh and caught his breath. "That's about it." Harry said feeling a little defeated that someone had figured it out. "Please don't tell anyone."

Theodore ndded and swallowed the last of his porridge. "I won't." Theodore said quietly. "But you need to work on being more devious." Theodore smiled. "I think it's a great idea. Ronald is a total prat and needs to be taken down a peg. This does that and gives us another Slytherin."

Over the course of the morning Harry gave Theodore a more detailed accounting of his plan and it's ins and outs. By Lunch Harry had left the Great Hall having had been there for two meals, his backside was rather sore and he needed to stretch his legs.

"What a morning." Harry said to himself under his breath.

Having nothing more to do until supper, Harry began wondering and exploring the castle. Hogwarts was so massive that one could spend all seven years exploring it and not finding everything.

As Harry approached the third floor corridor he noticed a pair of flame headed twins. They seemed to be examining the door to the corridor from the moving stairs. Harry instantly knew what they were doing. To a pair of trouble makers like the Weasley twins, having anything forbidden simply invites investigation and challenge.

They hadn't noticed Harry and continued to simply wave their wands on and around the doorway. Obviously they weren't as so bold to simply enter the third floor corridor. It was obvious that they were using examination spells Harry didn't know about as they diligently scanned their wands around the door.

"Anything Fred?"

"Nothing yet George."

"Could it simply be there's nothing to find?"

"That would be a most fortuitous turn of an event brother. Though I doubt a man as wise and crafty as Dumbledore would leave such a thing unenchanted."

"But what if my dear brother that this first doorway, being without enchantment is the first protection, meant to confuse and astound by not having any magics affixed to it?"

"That would be quite the conundrum. You'd either believe there to be nothing and continue through it, second guessing if there was or wasn't something there."

"Or you'd go through triggering something you didn't know was there and end up in a predicament still."

Harry stood silently. Confused and unable to find words as he watched perhaps to most peculiar pair of brother he'd ever known. He simply watched as they wordlessly continued working on the doorway.

After a few more moments both the twins seemed to notice their audience and had to double take as they noticed whom exactly was watching them.

"Ahh!" - "Ohh!" They both exclaimed simultaneously. They both sprung to full standing height brushing off their knees of dust. They looked to each other with confused looks as they seemingly were very unsure of Harry.

"Afternoon." Harry said pleasantly. "Find anything interesting or should we just go on through?"

Harry was playing a very dangerous game. He'd keep the twins off guard and unsure of him in order to gain their amusement. As neither Twin said anything as he approached the door Harry simply opened the door and stepped through. He found himself in a very decrepit hallway. No windows, few torches, and an abundance of Dust and Cobwebs. "Huh." Harry said jokingly.

The twins quickly followed suit and entered. "I don't see what all the fuss was about guys. It just seems like an extremely unused hallway leading to nowhere." Harry said looking around. Just as he was about to leave did he notice that there was in fact a door that the third floor corridor lead to.

"Either of you know anything bout that?" Harry said motioning to the door at the end of the corridor. Harry took out his wand, suddenly reminded of Dumbledore's warning at the beginning of the year.

To their credit Fred and George snapped out of their confused and befuddled state and began inspecting the new door just as they had the last. "Beyond a simple locking charm." "Nothing all that special here, none the less we can find." They said as they inspected the very old doorway.

"Well, at the very least we now know what is in the third floor corridor. The mystery of where it goes, remains a mystery." Harry said as he turned to leave but was faced with something particularly odd, which was something considering the last 20 minutes. "A cat?"

"A cat?" The twins said confused as they turned around to look at said cat. "Oh no. That's Mrs. Norris." The twins were looking a little off put now and seemed to be looking for an escape that wasn't the way they came.

Harry was still confused. "Who's Mrs. Norris?" He asked picking up on the twins' worry.

"Mrs. Norris is Filch's cat." "Part kneazle that one is." "Filch won't be far behind." They explained. No sooner had they explained was there the jingling of keys heard rushing up the stairs.

"Oh we're done in for sure." "Mum will ring our ears for this one." "Oh and what will McGonagall do this time after that last bout with the shrinking charms?" The twins were obviously wallowing in their defeat when Harry spoke up.

"What about the door?" He said motioning to the door they had been inspecting just a moment ago. They both stopped in their panicking and looked at the door.

"Is it on the map?" "I don't know." "The map changes from time to time." "Do you have it?" "No, I thought we left it… secure!"

Harry was losing patience. "Guys! The door, now!" He said as loudly as he could whisper. He stepped back as the twins took their wands and pointed it at the latch.

"Alohomora!" Said the twin simultaneously. There was a click and the latch visibly moved to the open position. The last thing Harry saw as they closed the door behind them was Filch's shadow in the doorway.

They all slumped down against the door and relaxed. "That was close." Harry said putting his head between his knees. On either side of him the twins started snickering. Harry smiled and looked up. There was a trap door in front of them. "Huh." just as he had seen the trap door did he notice the massive paw dragging on the ground behind the trap door.

Harry slowly looked up and saw a massive 3 headed dog. Each head was asleep and one was even drooling. "We, need to leave, now." Harry said as quietly as he could. He stood up very slowly, back pressed against the door. He nudged both the twins as he stood. Finally they took notice of the gigantic three headed dog.

Slowly did the twins take notice of the massive animal in the room with them. Their abrupt entrance had taken its time, but one of the heads started to stir. It gradually took notice of them and brought itself to full alertness. It's awakeness seem contagious as the head next to it started to stir, and then the one next to that.

"Door, door, door" Harry muttered angrily as he was shoving the twins. All three heads seem to take collective notice of Harry, Fred and George. It was obvious that the consensus was anger. As all three heads started to snarl and bare their fangs.

No sooner did the door open and Harry pushed the twins through did the beast lunge at them. It all seem to happen in a blur for Harry. Falling through the doorway, looking up and seeing the middle head charging directly at him, and finally him getting up and slamming the door shut and making sure the lock was in the lock position once more.

There was a massive thud against the door as Harry crawled away backward. As soon as Harry felt confident that the door would hold, he allowed himself to relax and collapsed. He didn't care if Filch found him. He had escaped that massive killer dog and any detention would be worth it. He looked over to the twins and found them in a similar state.

"Fred?" George said looking at the dark, cobweb covered ceiling.

"Yes George?" Fred replied doing the exact same.

"I'd say that this is one of those situation Dad talks about. Risk, not being worth the reward, and such." George said pulling himself together in a sitting position. "Though, I am a bit put off that we wasted all that time at the bloody doorway. Trap spells, what a laugh. We clearly need to work on our sensory charms and anti-charms."

Fred nodded and stood up. He offered his brother and hand up and brought his brother to his gaze. "Too right you are George. We really need to brush up on detection spells and the like. We'll be writing to Bill about this" Fred said brushing himself off.

George nodded and starting brushing himself off as well. "Indeed. Though I think we'll leave out the bits about the killer three headed monster canine and the, uninvited guest." George said motioning to Harry.

Harry just furrowed his brow. "If it wasn't for me you two would still be in the hallway waving your wands at nothing." Harry said before remembering that he needed them to like him. "I also saved your lives getting away from that, beast." Harry said forcing a smile.

The twins seemed to share a glance of an unspoken exchange. "Now, I'd like nothing more than to forget this ever happened." Harry said mimicking their jovial inflections. "Now, I say we congratulate ourselves and each others for not winding up dead, and be on our way." Harry offered a hand to each of the twins.

Suspiciously they both took Harry's hand and shook. "Right, well, I've got anywhere else to be right now." Harry said as he waited for the stairs to come back around letting him return to the ground floor.

Fred and George approached the stairs leading further up. "Uhm, Potter. Thanks for that." Fred said rubbing the back of his neck. "Not only would we still be in the hall."

"We might have also ended up dead!" George said. "You're not nearly as bad as Ron says. Guess the little prat is telling tales again."

The twins seemed to have another unspoken exchange. "See you round Potter. Keep your nose out of trouble, that's our trouble, y'ah hear?" They said in unison and took off running up flights of stairs.

Harry shook his head and smiled. He'd done it. He'd gotten in good with the Weasley Twins. "Yeah, and all it took was saving their lives."


	14. Quidditch

As they entered November, the weather turned very cold. The mountains around the school became icy gray and the lake like chilled steel. Every morning the ground was covered in frost. Hagrid could be seen from the upstairs windows defrosting broomsticks on the Quidditch field, bundled up in a long moleskin overcoat, rabbit fur gloves, and enormous beaverskin boots. The Quidditch season had begun. On Saturday, Harry would be playing in his first match after weeks of training: Gryffindor versus Slytherin. If Gryffindor won, they would move up into second place in the house championship.

Most of Slytherin had seen Harry play by now. Flint wasn't shy at all about the skills of his new Seeker and by now the entire school knew that Harry would be playing for Slytherin. Harry didn't know which was worse — people telling him he'd be brilliant or people telling him they'd be running around underneath him holding a mattress.

It was really lucky that Harry now had Hermione as a friend. He didn't know how he'd have gotten through all his homework without her, what with all the last-minute Quidditch practice Flint was making him do, learning all the ways that Slytherin had avoided getting called Fouls during games seemed to be a majority of his training. Harry quickly learned that being a Seeker meant he had the least amount of possible fouls. Hermione had also lent him Quidditch Through the Ages, which turned out to be a very interesting read.

Harry learned that there were seven hundred ways of committing a Quidditch foul and that all of them had happened during a World Cup match in 1473; that Seekers were usually the smallest and fastest players, and that most serious Quidditch accidents seemed to happen to them; that although people rarely died playing Quidditch, referees had been known to vanish and turn up months later in the Sahara Desert.

Hermione had become a bit more relaxed about breaking rules since Harry and Draco had saved her from the mountain troll, and she was much nicer for it. She had even given him a jar with a magic blue flame inside of it. He had been using to keep warm in the late Autumn days Harry had kept it with him as he decided to read up on famous Seeker plays the day before his first match. He was so engrossed with a series of plays from 1924 that he hadn't even noticed Snape approach him.

"What's that you've got there, Potter?"Snape asked making himself known as he stood in front of Harry, arms crossed.

"Quidditch Through the Ages, Sir." Harry said looking back and forth from the book and Snape. "Reading up on Seeker plays for the game tomorrow." Harry offered Snape the book to see.

Snape merely nodded. "Be sure to do well tomorrow Potter. Slytherin has maintained the Quidditch Cup for many years, I'd like to see it stay that way." Snape said before walking off. Harry nodded and only just noticed Snape's limp.

Harry spent the rest of his day relaxing, trying not to stress over his first Quidditch match. After dinner he returned to the Slytherin common room and continued reading in front of the fireplace. Eventually Harry found the common room too crowded and too noisy and retreated to his bed. No sooner than did Harry lay down did he find himself tired and turned in for the night.

The next morning dawned very bright and cold. The Great Hall was full of the delicious smell of fried sausages and the cheerful chatter of everyone looking forward to a good Quidditch match. Most of Slytherin and Gryffindor had taken to either mocking each other, sneering, glaring, or supporting their players.

Harry did his best to eat despite his complete lack of appetite. If not for the pestering of his friends and teammates he'd manage to eat 2 pieces of toast, some sausages and a few sweets Draco had taken from Crabbe and Goyle.

By eleven o'clock the whole school seemed to be out in the stands around the Quidditch pitch. Many students had binoculars. The seats might be raised high in the air, but it was still difficult to see what was going on sometimes. Draco had joined Pansy, Blaise, and Theodore in the Slytherin decorated stands. Meanwhile, in the locker room, Harry and the rest of the team were changing into their green

Quidditch robes. Flint stood up and shouted at his team. "Oi, listen up you lot. The Hogwarts Quidditch Cup has said Slytherin on it for the last 5 years. I don't think it's time for that change. Do you?" Flint asked rhetorically.

The rest of the Slytherin team answer though. "NO!" They shouted. Harry felt his nervousness start to fade. Even if he was terrible, this was a team that had maintained its winning streak long before he got there and he'd be told that he was better than the previous Slytherin Seeker.

"That's right! Now, we're gonna go out there and show Hogwarts why Slytherin Wins!" Flint said as he lead his team onto the Quidditch Pitch.

Madam Hooch was refereeing. She stood in the middle of the field waiting for the two teams, her broom in her hand.

"Now, I want a nice fair game, all of you," she said, once they were all gathered around her.

Harry noticed that she seemed to be speaking particularly to Flint.

"Mount your brooms, please." Hooch said to all players. Harry clambered onto his Nimbus Two Thousand. Madam Hooch gave a loud blast on her silver whistle.

Fifteen brooms rose up, high, high into the air. They were off. "And the Quaffle is taken immediately by Angelina Johnson of Gryffindor - what an excellent Chaser that girl is, and rather attractive, too -"

"JORDAN!"

"Sorry, Professor."A third year Gryffindor, something Jordan, was doing the commentary for the match, closely watched by Professor McGonagall

"And she's really belting along up there, a neat pass to Alicia Spinnet, a good find of Oliver Wood's, last year only a reserve, back to Johnson and." There was a sudden outcry from the Gryffindor audience. "No, the Slytherins have taken the Quaffle, Slytherin Captain Marcus Flint gains the Quaffle and off he goes, Flint flying like an eagle up there, he's going to score. And he gets it in."

The Slytherin stands bursted in applause and horays as green sparks shot out of them. Harry clapped furiously and raised a fist over head with pride as Flint accepted the quick acknowledgement from his teammates before the game quickly resumed.

"An excellent attempt by Gryffindor Keeper Wood and the Quaffle is back in play, that's Chaser Katie Bell of Gryffindor there, nice dive around Flint, off up the field and, OUCH! That must have hurt, hit in the back of the head by a Bludger. Quaffle taken by the Slytherins, that's Adrian Pucey speeding off toward the goal posts, but he's blocked by a second Bludger, sent his way by Fred or George Weasley, can't tell which."

Harry watched and waited. He knew the Snitch was his top priority, but when a opposing team has an unchallenged advance he couldn't just let it happen.

"Nice play by the Gryffindor Beater, anyway, and Johnson back in possession of the Quaffle, a clear field ahead and off she goes, she's really flying, dodges a speeding Bludger. The goal posts are ahead, come on, now, Angelina! Oh, she passes to Katie, who passes back to Angelina and, WHERE DID HE COME FROM!" Slytherin cheers filled the cold air, with howls and moans from the Gryffindors.

Harry had flown in deep and hard to position himself right in front of Johnson. Effectively clothe-lining as she speed towards the goal posts. No foul was given as the Seeker had not interfered with a Quaffle in motion. Harry had come in contacted with a Chaser who was in possession of the Quaffle, that was fine and within the rules.

With Flint recovering the Quaffle Harry continued looking for the Snitch. Way up above them, Harry was gliding over the game, squinting about for some sign of the Snitch or other ways he could screw with the Gryffindors. This was part of his and Flint's game plan.

"Keep out of the way most of the time, only if you see the Snitch or a really good opening do you come in" Flint had said. "We don't want you attacked before you have to be." When Flint scored again, Harry had let a few choice insult close of the Gryffindor stand to let off his feelings. Now he was back to staring around for the Snitch.

Once he caught sight of a flash of gold, but it was just a reflection from one of the Weasleys' wristwatches, and once a Bludger decided to come pelting his way, more like a cannonball than anything, but Harry dodged it. No thanks to the Slytherin beaters.

"All right there, Harry." Flint had time to yell, as he glared at his Beaters. Harry nodded and continued his search for the Snitch.

"Slytherin in possession," Lee Jordan was saying, "Chaser Pucey ducks two Bludgers, two Weasleys, and Chaser Bell, and speeds toward the - wait a moment - is that the Snitch". A murmur ran through the crowd as Puecy dropped the Quaffle, too busy looking over his shoulder at the flash of gold that had passed his left ear.

Harry saw it. In a great rush of excitement he dived downward after the streak of gold. New Gryffindor Seeker Kenneth Towler had seen it, too. Neck and neck they hurtled toward the Snitch -all the Chasers seemed to have forgotten what they were supposed to be doing as they hung in midair to watch.

Harry was faster than Towler. He could see the little round ball, wings fluttering, darting up ahead, he put on an extra spurt of speed. Harry was nearly within range of the Snitch, but only just soon enough he notice that the Snitch was rapidly leading Towler and himself into the Hufflepuff stands.

Harry knew he wouldn't be able to stop fast enough so he jerked his broom to the left and went into a roll. He had hoped his sudden change in momentum would prevent him from crashing into the solid cedar stands. Harry was holding on for dear life when he finally came out of his roll. The world came back to him and he found himself hovering next to one of the Black and Yellow flags that adorned the stand,

He quickly rejoined the game thankful that Towler hadn't been able to catch the Snitch during his emergency maneuver. He noticed that all three of Gryffindor Chasers were approaching the center line with the Quaffle in their possession. Rapidly passing to each other to avoid being targeted specifically. Harry shot after them. If he could interrupt their play then hopefully one of Slytherin's Chaser could get the Quaffle.

Harry dodged a Bludger, which went spinning dangerously past his head, that it happened. His broom gave a sudden, frightening lurch. For a split second, he thought he was going to fall. He gripped the broom tightly with both his hands and knees. He'd never felt anything like that.

It happened again. It was as though the broom was trying to buck him off. But Nimbus Two Thousands did not suddenly decide to buck their riders off. Harry tried to turn back towards the half mark - he had half a mind to ask Flint to call time-out - and then he realized that his broom was completely out of his control. He couldn't turn it. He couldn't direct it at all. It was zigzagging through the air, and every now and then making violent swishing movements that almost unseated him.

Lee was still commentating.

"Slytherin in possession - Flint with the Quaffle - passes Spinnet - passes Bell - hit hard in the face by a Bludger, hope it broke his nose - only joking, Professor - Slytherin score - A no...

The Slytherins were cheering. No one seemed to have noticed that Harry's broom was behaving strangely. It was carrying- him slowly higher, away from the game, jerking and twitching as it went. "Come on, what's Harry thinking" Draco Suddenly, people were pointing up at Harry all over the stands. His broom had started to roll over and over, with him only just managing to hold on. Then the whole crowd gasped. Harry's broom had given a wild jerk and Harry swung off it. He was now dangling from it, holding on with only one hand. As he managed to pull himself, to his surprise the snitch just floated past his foot as it slowly descended.

Without a second thought Harry launched himself off his broom and dove after the snitch. It was obvious that the snitch had not noticed him as it was still travelling downwards rather than shooting off in another direction. Harry was closing fast on both the Snitch and Solid Ground. 50 feet, 40, 30, 20, 15, 10, finally 5. As he heard the screams and the loud sweep of another broom, he found himself hanging by his ankle.

He looked up and found Marcus Flint. Legs locked around his broom, both hands on Harry left ankle. "You crazy son of a bitch! Did you even think about landing, I should just let you go" Flint shouted at him, clearly distraught. Harry was just smiling at him with a manic grin. "What the hell are you grinning about, you nearly got yourself killed trying to get the, no way!" Flint looked down in disbelief.

Harry laughed out in joy and shot out the Snitch clutched tightly in his hand.

"SLYTHERIN WINS"


	15. Fluffy, Flamel & Christmas

"So what really happened to your broom"? Hermione asked as she dabbed a cut on forearm. Harry had not notice his light bleeding when he had blocked Johnson. It was much more artistic than actually damaging. He hissed as she once again touched his arm with a wet clothes. "Oh be quiet, if you had not done something so stupid, such as blocking Angelina like an idiot".

Draco smirked as Harry scowled at Hermione's words and painful fruition. "I'd also like to hear what happened to your broom." Draco said, clearly unsettled with agreeing with Hermione. "Seeing as a regular broom, maybe such as a Cleansweep 7, has very effective and not easily undone, Anti-Tamper wards. Nothing short of extremely dark magic could do anything to a brand new Nimbus 2000. So that leaves a couple questions". Blaise and Theodore nodded in agreement with Draco.

Harry's jaw clenched as Hermione tightly wrapped a clean cloth around his arm. "Thanks Hermione, that should be good until I get to the Hospital wing." Harry said gingerly poking at his arm. "Well, you'd have a much better idea of how my broom went all screwy Draco."

Draco nodded. "I'll write to my father about it. At the very least I'm sure he'll be pleased to know that Slytherin won our very first game of the season." Draco said rather smugly, sparing a glance at Hermione.

"Well, I can figure when I'm not wanted. I'll be in the Library" she said as she hurried off down the hall. A few meters away from the group she stopped and turned back. She rushed into Harry nearly taking him off his feet. "I'm glad your ok" she said holding back tears. With that she ran off towards her Sanctuary.

Everyone else stared at Harry. Harry knew their minds raced with questions. "Don't look at me, I just saved her life is all" Harry said with a stupid smile.

Harry walked the halls of Hogwarts alone. After Quidditch match the Slytherin team celebrated by what Flint described as getting loud and spilling drinks. Harry just wanted be alone. He snuck out of the common room as Flint was trying to unsuccessfully to hit on Severon. The last thing Harry heard was the resonating sound of a slap.

Even with winning his first ever Quidditch match Harry still was not in a happy mood. Someone in Hogwarts was trying to kill him. He was eleven. The more he walked, the more he thought, the more he thought, the angrier he got. He didn't care where he went as long as he was alone. He knew from what he read and what Hermione told him from what she had read. He was very unsafe in the circles that followed the Dark Lord.

He dug even further into the subject and found that Lucius Malfoy was an inner circle member of the Dark Lord. He had been a Death Eater. Harry knew better than to bring this up with Draco. He would wait until he saw Mr. Malfoy again. But he would have to be very smart about it.

In his thoughtless wondering, Harry found himself at the Library. Thinking of no place better or worse, he went inside. Wandering through the stacks with no real purpose he started thinking of what would happen if a certain someone tried to kill him again. Without a certain goal, Harry headed towards the 'Protection' section of the Library. Grabbing a few books with no particular care as to what they were Harry then searched for a secluded section of the Library. Finding a rather pleasant rounded corner with many windows, Harry sat down and laid the books out in front of himself.

To his surprise most seem to be by the same author. "Dark or Evil", "Defensive Theory in a practical setting", and "Shield to Sword, a guide to successfully turning protection magic into offensive magic". They were all written by the same author. None of Harry's books were written by this guy, so Harry started to what else had Derek Adom written and why had Harry not heard of him.

.

Harry was half way through the first chapter of "Dark or Evil", when he decided to check it out. The book started to outline the key differences between Dark magic and Evil magic. Harry was surprised to find so many opinions by many ministry officials saying that Dark magic is not evil. He found it hard to put the book down, but knowing he'd have more time, Harry started on the other books.

"Defensive Theory in a practical setting" had little to do with magic and more to do with defending oneself with anything but magic. Harry had many experiences with being attacked physically, be it Dudley and his gang, Petunia and quick rasp to the head with her large wooden cooking spoon, or an angry Vernon coming home from a bad day at work. That was the worst. Harry had tried to block out the time Vernon failed to fix Dudley's week old mountain bike.

Harry's hand light trailed over the spots were the bike chain had scared him. But that was the past. He had considered being the better person about but with all that he had learned about the Magical World, he already was the better person.

Harry had read though a little of the each of the books when he decided to take them back with him to the dorm. As it got dark out the window that had previously granted him light, now did nothing but grant him a glimpse of the shimmering stars. He collected his things and made his way to leave the library, getting up from his candle-lit table.

As he walked further towards the center of the library, Harry thought he heard snickering. He stopped. He had heard snickering, now accompanied by whispering. Harry headed towards the general direction it came from. It was not particularly easy, as snickers and whispers weren't meant to be loud.

Harry turned another corner to find the Weasley twins. They were hiding behind a shelf watching as some Hufflepuff girl worked on an essay. He was just wondering what they had planned. Against his better judgment, Harry decided to confront them. He gradually snuck up behind them and watched them laugh themselves silly at the Hufflepuff. "So. What's going on?" Harry asked in a whisper. The term freaked out would most likely have done the best.

When both the twins caught their breath, after trying to hold in screams and rants while not being suspicious in a library, they both just stared at Harry like he was growing another head. Not that Harry would have been completely surprised by this. "What in Merlin's furry left one was the point of that?" they said, in flawless synchronous.

Harry raised an eyebrow and cocked his head slightly. "I asked what was going on." Harry replied simply. He leaned over to get a look at the Hufflepuff. She had not noticed them. "You know, you are going to get caught." Harry said, in a tone that reminded him of Hermione.

The twins reared their heads and looked at each other. "And why-" "-might that be-" "-young Mr Potter?" they asked intermittently. "We've thought of so much-" "-our magical signatures-" "-wiped clean-" "-our usual tactics-" "-out the window-" "-and-" "-we even added a bit of confusion to the trick itself!" they spoke in perfect 'ins' and 'outs'. Now the twins crossed their arms in perfect confidence, to the point of complacency.

Harry nodded in what he would let them believe was praise. "Yes, but, knowing as much as I know about your reputation, you'll laugh and try and make a decision on whether or not to stay and take credit." Harry said reaching for two copies of "The Phoenix, Separating Myth from Magic" and handing one to each of the twins. "What you need to properly bask in the amusement, is a credibly alibi". Harry took a seat at a nearby desk that still had a proper view of the girl. He pulled out the two chairs on both his left and right.

Hesitantly both of the twins slowly took a seat on either side. Harry motioned to the books he had given them. They opened them and leaned to look into the books. "Now you see, when it happens, your not just standing around at the most opportune moment" Harry explained. He was going to continue when a loud flash of light burst from behind a book that the Hufflepuff girl had just taken down.

Harry and the twins rushed across the library as quickly as they could without drawing attention to themselves. After a few paces down another isle they broke down in laughter. "I can see why you guys do it now. That was a riot." Harry said making sure no staff members were within earshot.

The twins grinned ear to ear. "Maybe next time, you can join us in the planning Potter." Fred said checking his watch. "But we must be off, wouldn't you agree George?" He nodded at his watch.

Rather than check his own identical watch, George took hold of Fred's wrist to check his watch. "Too right. People to be, Places to see and all that. See you later Potter."

Harry shook his head with a smile and returned to the Slytherin common room.

The very next day Harry had received an invitation from Hagrid to join him for tea and to celebrate his first Quidditch victory. So after lunch Harry extended the obligatory polite invite to his friends to join him, expecting the equally obligatory polite declines but was surprised when Blaise took him up on the offer.

Harry voiced his surprise on the walk towards Hagrid's hut. "Well, it's rather simple I think." Blaise said zipping up his jumper as they left the castle walls. "I had nothing better to do on this Sunday, and getting in good with a staff member is something most of the older Slytherins say is a must for us."

Harry simply nodded. It was less to do with the gathering or even the company, it had all to do with the implications. Harry didn't feel like arguing or discussing the matter, he just took his fortune at face value and enjoyed Blaise's company. Hopefully Blaise and Hagrid could enjoy each other's company, to some regard.

Harry decided to make a quick detour to the green houses to pick up Balthazar. Blaise was obviously off put by Harry's ever growing Orobo-Raven. Harry just shrugged and let Balthazar drape himself on Harry's neck, getting closer for warmth in the Fall cold.

Before long Harry was knocking on Hagrid's door. There was the almost automatic barking and the thud of large feet following it. "Down Fang, yah bloody menace. Down!" Hagrid shouted from behind the door.

The door open and there stood a very happy Hagrid. "Harry, great to see you, with a friend no less, well come on in. I've got a nice fire going and I'll put on some tea." Hagrid said ushering them in.

The next hour was filled with Harry regalling Hagrid with his accounting of the Quidditch match from his own point of view. Blaise was more than polite. He knew when to chime in to avoid being awkward and silent. He knew to engage Hagrid occasionally. And to Harry's shock, he seemed to genuinely enjoy petting Fang and scratching him behind his ears.

"Trust me, after what I've seen inside Hogwarts, jumping off my Broom was nothing." Harry said as he adjusted his jumper around Balthazar, who seemed afraid of Fang. "I mean who thinks its a good idea to keep a giant three-headed dog in a school?"

"How do you know about Fluffy?" Hagrid asked in a befuddled tone.

"Fluffy?" Harry returned the question

"Yeah. He's mine, bought him off a Greek chappie I met in the pub las' year, I lent him to

Dumbledore to guard the..." Hagrid cut himself short and pursed his lips.

"Yes?" said Harry eagerly.

"Now, don't ask me anymore," said Hagrid gruffly. "That's top secret, that is."

"Top secret? In a school full of children. With a potentially lethal animal behind two doors, one was undone by a pair of 3rd years" Harry argued with a very unamused expression.

"What? Third years?" Hagrid asked sounding off put. "Oh, please Harry, don't tell me it was them Weasley Twins. I've chased them away from the Forest in the three years they've been here more than I've had to chase anyone else in the ten years before they got here."

Hagrid slumped in his chair. "But having Fluffy behind a door that those two can get to isn't something I want to think about." Hagrid said trying to regain his composure. "Now, listen to me Harry, and Harry's friend, jus to be meddlin' in things that don' concern yeh. It's dangerous. You forget that dog, an' you forget what it's guardin', that's between Professor Dumbledore an' Nicolas Flamel"

"Aha!" said Harry, "so there's someone called Nicolas Flamel involved, is there?"

Hagrid looked furious with himself. "I shouldn't have said that. I should not have said that."

Christmas was coming. One morning in mid December, Hogwarts awoke to find Itself covered in several feet of snow. The lake froze solid and the Weasley twins were laughing about bewitching several rainbow snowballs so that they followed Quirrel around, bouncing off the back of his turban. Harry had suggested the multicolor and a time-delay spell, so they wouldn't get caught, to which the twins were ecstatic about.

The few owls that managed to battle their way through the stormy sky to deliver mail had to be nursed back to health by Hagrid before they could fly off again.

No one could wait for the holidays to start. While the common rooms and the Great Hall had roaring fires, the drafty corridors had become icy and a bitter wind rattled the windows in the classrooms.

Worst of all were Professor Snape's classes down in the dungeons, where their breath rose in a mist before them and they kept as close as possible to their hot cauldrons. Harry, who was measuring out powdered spine of lion-fish, laughed lightly to himself. Even in the cold, it was still his favored class.

Draco had been even more relaxed about antagonizing everyone since the Quidditch match. Reveling that the Slytherins had been victorious, he didn't try as hard to get everyone laughing at how a wide-mouthed tree frog would be replacing Harry as Seeker next. In good humor of course. They were all so impressed at the way Harry had managed to stay on his bucking broomstick. He knew Ron Weasley would not dare mock him about his skills anymore. No one would.

"I do feel so sorry," said Draco , one Potions class, "for all those people who have to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas because they don't have a proper home to return to." He was looking over at Ron Weasley as he spoke.

While it was true that Harry wasn't going back to Privet Drive for Christmas, he knew that Ron Weasley was still to afraid of Harry's reaction to his home life to try and insult him with it.

Rebecca Severon had come around the week before, making a list of students who would be staying for the holidays, and Harry had signed up at once. He didn't feel sorry for himself at all; this would probably be the best Christmas he'd ever had. He had convince Hermione to stay with Him and Blaise. They would continue to work on school projects and more importantly Snake in the grass, as Ron and his brothers were staying.

When they left the dungeons at the end of Potions, they found a large fir tree blocking the corridor ahead. Two enormous feet sticking out at the bottom and a loud puffing sound told them that Hagrid was behind it.

"Hi, Hagrid, want any help." Ron Weasley asked, sticking his head through the branches. "Nah, I'm all right, thanks, Ron." Hagrid said as he readjusted his footing and continued down the corridor.

"Would you mind moving out of the way." came Draco's cold drawl from behind them. "Are you trying to earn some extra money, Weasley. Hoping to be gamekeeper yourself when you leave Hogwarts, I suppose, that hut of Hagrid's must seem like".

"That's enough Draco" Harry said calmly with a smile. He had gotten quite used to Draco's antics and knew better than to indulge him in them. "Besides its not like Weasley could afford to dream that big. Hagrid is at least four times the man Weasley would need to be to do the job. I mean look at the size of the tree. Hagrid handles it like nothing, could you imagine Weasley trying that?" Harry almost didn't need to fake the laugh. He did picture Ronald trying to get a tree that size into the Great Hall.

Draco grinned. "Your right, I was mistaken to think that he knew better. But then again who am I to care" Draco said with a slight laugh.

Harry wanted this to be another confrontation. All he need to do would be to push a little further. "To think that he actually comes from a pure blood family, what is this world coming to" Harry chided with a raised chin, only to further the look of arrogance on Ron.

Ron dived at Harry just as Snape came up the stairs.

"WEASLEY!" Ron let go of the front of Harry's robes.

Hagrid seemed conflicted in the matter, sticking his huge hairy face out from behind the tree."Fighting is against Hogwarts rules, ," said Snape silkily. "Five points from Gryffindor, and be grateful it isn't more" Snape sneered as he turned.

Harry's smiled turned into a sinister grin as an idea came upon him. "Professor, perhaps five points is a bit harsh" Harry said stepping forward. "I took no injury, this time, I don't see the issue as anymore than simple roughhousing" Harry now tilted his slightly a smiled.

Snape raised an eyebrow. "Your point, Potter?" he asked impatiently.

"Perhaps a simple, apology, would suffice" Harry said with a sudden lightened inflection in his tone. Behind him Draco watched in delight as Harry further infuriated Weasley with such little effort.

Snape, though he would never admit it, was very surprised and proud of young mister Potter, for being so level headed when another was to come to blows with him. Also his little alternative, would be quite distasteful for the Weasley boy. "Indeed perhaps you are right" Snape said as he turned his attention back to Weasley. "Well, an apology, or, perhaps ten points"

Weasley stuttered, but finally found proper words. "Ten? You said five" he said barely holding himself back from shouting. Snape cocked his head a little, obviously not liking being challenged.

"And now I'm saying ten, or an apology to Mr. Potter" Snape said leaning into Weasley.

Harry watched in delight as Ron Weasley seem to turn several different shades of red. "Fine, ten points it is" he said with a scowl. He quickly turned and made his way down the hall.

Snape said nothing else as he continued on his way.

"Yeh really don't need to antagonize him like that Harry." Hagrid said with disapproval in his voice. "Best to keep you out o' trouble, come with me an' see the Great Hall, looks a treat." So Harry, Blaise and a begrudging Draco followed Hagrid and his tree off to the Great Hall, where Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick were busy with the Christmas decorations.

"Ah, Hagrid, the last tree - put it in the far corner, would you." The hall looked spectacular. Festoons of holly and mistletoe hung all around the walls, and no less than twelve towering Christmas trees stood around the room, some sparkling with tiny icicles, some glittering with hundreds of candles.

"How many days you got left until yer holidays." Hagrid asked.

"Just one," said Blaise. "And that reminds me -Harry, Draco, we've got half an hour before lunch, we'd best be off to the library."

"Of course, the library, we should be there" Draco said in a defeated drawl of a tone.

"The library." said Hagrid, following them out of the hall. "Just before the holidays. Bit keen, aren't yeh." He brushed a large amount of pine needles off his coat.

"Oh, we're not working," Harry told him brightly. "Its a little, extra project that we've all been working on." Harry grinned a solemn grin.

"What for?" Hagrid asked. "I didn't think dat firs years had extra work"

"We don't, but we've taken this upon ourselves" Draco said without any tone, or arrogance he usually when addressing Hagrid

"We're just inquiring mind. And this is something we enjoy working on," said Blaise.

Hagrid laughed lightly to himself. "To think that a lot of first years working on a their own project" Hagrid said with a beaming smile. "You lot are gonna do great things, reckon my words, great things, I bet one of you lot takes top of yer year"

They had indeed been searching books for Snake in the grass ever since Harry met up with the twins. Now that Harry was on speaking terms with them, they had a in. Now they need only to exploit it. Knowing the the twins were greatly more clever and cunning than Ron, they would have to have better tactics to deal with them.

Hagrid had dropped them many hints along the line. Ever since he had dropped the name Nicolas Flammel, Harry had asked Hermione to find what she can on him. Eventually it wasn't even Hermione that explained things to Harry, but Theodore.

"Here he is." Theodore said handing Harry a Chocolate Frog card. It wasn't a Nicolas Flammel card, but it was all they had.

 _ALBUS DUMBLEDORE_

 _CURRENTLY HEADMASTER OF HOGWARTS_

 _Considered by many the greatest wizard of modern times, Dumbledore is particularly famous for_

 _his defeat of the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of_

 _dragon's blood, and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel. Professor_

 _Dumbledore enjoys chamber music and tenpin bowling._

With that Hermione was able to determine that Fluffy was guarding the Philosopher's Stone. Harry started piecing things together. Hagrid's detour to Vault 713, for a secret package for Dumbledore. The breakin the day after, to Vault 713.

But Harry was divided in his attentions. They began looking into the power of the Philosophers stone and who would want it. Because how else were they going to find out why the stone was being protected by Fluffy and Dumbledore. The trouble was, it was very hard to know where to begin, even knowing who Flamel was, it was of little help. He wasn't in Great Wizards of the Twentieth Century, or Notable Magical Names of Our Time; he was missing, too, from Important Modern Magical Discoveries, and A Study of Recent Developments in Wizardry. And then, of course, so was the stone missing from any mention. Then there was the sheer size of the library; tens of thousands of books; thousands of shelves; hundreds of narrow rows.

Hermione took out a list of subjects and titles that Blaise and her had decided to search while Draco and Theodore strode off down a row of books and started pulling them off the shelves that might have any reference to the stone.

Harry wandered over to the Restricted Section. He had been wondering for a while if there was some spell or hex of some sorts that would help in his machinations, wasn't somewhere in there. Unfortunately, you needed a specially signed note from one of the teachers to look in any of the restricted books, and he knew he'd never get one. Not without a lot of time and effort. Time and Effort that could be spent on actually working on their plan or class work rather than a hope of some sort of something.

These were the books containing powerful Dark Magic never taught at Hogwarts, and only read by older students studying advanced Defense Against the Dark Arts.

"What are you looking for, boy." Madam Pince the librarian brandished a feather duster at him.

"Nothing," said Harry instantly regretting his words

"You'd better get out, then. Go on - out!" Wishing he'd been a bit quicker at thinking up some story, Harry left the library. Harry, Draco, Blaise, and Hermione had already agreed they'd better not ask Madam Pince where they could find Flamel. Theodore wasn't so keen on giving up, he thought it would be best to be blunt and just ask her.

Harry waited outside in the corridor to see if the others had found anything, but he wasn't very hopeful. They had been looking for two weeks, but as they only had odd moments between lessons it wasn't surprising they'd found nothing. What they really needed was a nice long search without Madam Pince breathing down their necks.

Five minutes later, Draco, Blaise, Theodore and Hermione joined him, shaking their heads about even if they wouldn't work.

Theodore also started teaching Harry wizard chess. This was exactly like Muggle chess except that the figures were alive, which made it a lot like directing troops in battle. They started off with just a regular set that didn't move. Then once Harry had the essentials he mail ordered his own custom set to match the others. Draco's medieval soldiers in different types of black armor.

Blaise had a set made up of the Greek gods. Theodore set was old and experienced. Harry was very surprised to find that each piece was model after the greatest warriors of muggle history.

Harry had found that it had once belonged to his great-grandfather. However, old chessmen weren't a drawback at all. Theodore knew them so well he never had trouble getting them to do what he wanted. After asking why he had a set made of muggles, Theodore explained the his great-grandfather made them to be an example of the muggles instinctual need to kill each other. They went off to lunch.

"I'll look into Flamel at the Malfoy family library." Draco said readjusting his scarf . "And send me an owl if you find anything."

Harry forced himself to smile as he fussed over his own scarf. As much as he was glad for the Holidays, he was upset that he wouldn't be able to enjoy it with Draco. "Of course" Theodore said as he patted a book in hand "and you'll do the same?"

Draco smiled and nodded. He turned his attention to Hermione with a certain apprehension. His mouth opened to say something, then closed, opened again, closed again. Finally he managed to get some words out.

"And you could ask your parents if they know who Flamel is," Draco said not looking directly at her.

"Seeing as they're both dentists, I don't understand how that would accomplish anything" said Hermione snappishly. Harry smiled and shook his head. Although he understood her attitude towards Draco, he was still half way between amused and annoyed by her constant attitude.

Oddly enough Draco didn't seem offended. He smiled and hung his head slightly. "OK, never mind.

"Blaise, make sure they don't do anything stupid" Draco said pulling an air of elegance. Blaise smiled and nodded.

Draco turned to Harry. He seemed to have lost his words. "Harry walk me to the train" Draco said picking up his bag. Harry followed, he was confused. Draco wasn't so sentimental to need to say his goodbyes in private.

"Harry, you surprise me" Draco said looking ahead. "When we met, I had every image of you as a rich, pompous, Gryffindor". They took a few more steps until they reached a bench. Draco put his bag down. "I heard stories from Father that the Potters fought against the Dark Lord, and Gindlewald and generation before that. But you, you seem to be a perfect Slytherin".

Harry while slightly at a loss for words, wasn't sure what Draco was getting at. "But before any of that, you seem to not care about who I am" Draco said as he took a seat. "You didn't care that I was Draco Malfoy, of the Malfoy family, and so on. You, Harry Bleeding Potter, you thought I was funny, you like the fact that I grew up with my parents who were magic as well. You though that was the most amazing thing ever".

Harry remembered how naive he was, how much everything intrigued him. He was quickly taught otherwise. This was his world, his birthright was magic. "I've known my entire life that being a Malfoy comes with privileges and responsibilities." Draco said fiddling with his wand. "After meeting you that day in Diagon Alley, I had a sort of realization. You were exactly what my father had been droning on about."

Draco stood up and did an imitation of his father. "Now Draco, as a Malfoy you'll have to determine those who will support you, those who will oppose you, and most importantly, those who will stand next to you." Draco sat back down. "I've been surround by those supports. Crabbe and Goyle. Blaise and Theodore are great, but they'll have their own responsibilities and their own family agendas."

Harry just sat and listened. So long as no one approached them he knew that Draco would continue to be honest with him. "But you Harry, you won't have anyone telling you what to do or who you should be one day." Draco said as he returned to fiddling with his wand. "I know that you'd much rather have your own parents to tell you all that, but when the time comes and my father expects something of me, you'll see that everything comes with a silver lining, and it's not always a good thing."

"You'll be free to be what ever you want. You won't be shoehorned into be a Potter, and having to live up to what that means." Draco went on, clearly this was mostly just him thinking out loud about his relationship with Harry and what being scions of Old Blood meant to him. "What I'm getting at is, we're kids, but we're also going to be very important adults one day. When that day comes, when being Malfoy and being Potter are more important, can we still just be Draco and Harry to each other?"

Harry was throw completely for a loop. He had just sat there and listen to Draco drivel on about Family, Responsibilities, and such. He finally came out with a big question like that, Harry felt like he should have been at a loss for words but wasn't.

"Of course."

Once the holidays had started, Blaise and Harry were having too good a time to think much about Flamel. They had the dormitory to themselves and the common room was far emptier than usual, so they were able to get the good armchairs by the fire. They sat by the hour eating anything they could spear on a toasting fork. Bread, English muffins, marshmallows, and even a Chocolate Frog once, just to see what would happen.

Harry was quite pleased On Christmas Eve, Harry went to bed looking forward to the next day for the food and the fun, but not expecting any presents at all.

When he woke early in the morning, however, the first thing he saw was a small pile of packages at the foot of his bed.

"Merry Christmas," said Blaise as Harry scrambled out of bed and pulled on his bathrobe.

"You, too," said Harry. "Will you look at this. I've got some presents!"

"What a shame, it is clear that you did not expect any." said Blaise, turning to his own pile, which was a slight bigger than Harry's.

Harry picked up the top parcel. It was wrapped in thick brown paper and scrawled across it was To Harry, from Hagrid. Inside was a roughly cut wooden flute. Hagrid had obviously whittled it himself. Harry blew it - it sounded a bit like an owl.

"I find that a music is a magic that cannot be examined, something that cannot be explained, only enjoyed and shared, Allen Aven-Grad said that before his final concert" Blaise said scanning the almost empty common room.

Harry just stared at him. "Where do you learn these things?"

A second, very small parcel contained a note. We received your message and enclose your Christmas present. From Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia. Taped to the note was a fifty-pence piece.

"That's friendly," said Harry. He held up the piece and considered throwing it away. Blaise was fascinated by the fifty pence.

"Amazing!" he said, 'There is no visible difference from one of our knuts"

"You can keep it," said Harry, he want nothing from them. "Hagrid and the muggles- so who sent these?"

There were a few more parcel at the end of Harry's bed. "Well, I would guess at least one or two are from Draco and his family, one of them is from me and my family, and I would imagine the same could be said about Theodore and Pansy" Blaise said as put on a new silver chain necklace.

Harry practically dove into his present. After finding one from Draco he tore away the paper in record time. Inside was a complete broom care set.

Inside the case was everything Harry knew about Broom care and then some. It was even better than what the Slytherin Quidditch team had been using. There was polish, clippers, shine, cleaners, a little guide, four different kinds of brushes, and things Harry had no idea what they did.

After unwrapping another from Draco and his parents, Harry found a small crystalline statue of an Orobo-Raven. It was an amazing gift. The detail astounded Harry. He held it in his hand up to the light and watch it shine.

His next present was from Hermione. It seemed to be to items wrapped together. He opened the first one, and to his complete expectations it was a book. What surprised Harry was the subject. "Understanding girls and what makes them tick". Hermione had gotten him a book on girls and dating! Only after reading the note did Harry truly appreciate the gift.

'Wasn't sure how much you knew about girls so I got you this for further part of Snake in the grass'. The next box from Hermione contained candy - a large box of Chocolate Frogs.

This only left one parcel. Harry picked it up and felt it. It was very light. He unwrapped it.

Something fluid and silvery gray went slithering to the floor where it lay in gleaming folds. gasped.

"Harry, if that's what I think it is" Blaise said in a hushed voice, his grip crushing the box of Every Flavor Beans he'd gotten from Hermione." They're extremely rare, and really valuable."

"What is it?" Harry picked the shining, silvery cloth off the floor. It was strange to the touch, like water woven into material.

"That is an invisibility cloak," said Blaise, a look of sheer awe on his face. "Put it on just to be sure Harry". Harry threw the Cloak over his shoulders and looked to Blaise.

"By the Styx, it is! Look down!" Harry looked down at his feet, but they were gone. He dashed to the mirror. Sure enough, his reflection looked back at him, just his head suspended in midair, his body completely invisible. He pulled the cloak over his head and his reflection vanished completely.

"There's a note." said Blaise suddenly. "A note fell out of it." Harry pulled off the cloak and seized the letter. Written in narrow, loopy writing he had never seen before were the following words: Your father left this in my possession before he died. It is time it was returned to you. Use it well.

A Very Merry Christmas to you.

There was no signature. Harry stared at the note. Blaise was admiring the cloak.

He felt very strange. Who had sent the cloak? Had it really once belonged to his father?

Before he could say or think anything else, there was a loud bang followed by even louder cussing. From down the hall Marcus Flint walked in. Harry stuffed the cloak quickly out of sight. He didn't feel like sharing it with anyone else yet.

"Good Morning Flint" Harry said in a happy voice. He glad to see Flint had decided to stay over the holidays.

Flint looked up and glared at Harry. "What the hell's gotten you in such a good mood"? Flint asked holding his foot, which he had clearly stubbed on his way to the common room.

Harry smiled a little. "It's Christmas, why shouldn't I be happy" he said, motioning to the decorated common all around them.

Flint just grimaced and glared a little as he looked around the room. Instantly the mood of the common room seemed to change. As Flint looked around at each individual item of décor, all they seemed to do was further infuriate him.

Just as he seemed to be finished glaring at everything, Rebecca Severon walked in.

"Morning" she said in a short but polite tone. "Flint" she said in a lightened tone, "ok" she said it as more of a question. He looked at her, face softened lightly, and he scanned the room again. It was obvious that there was some unspoken conversation going on between the two of them.

"Glad you're here, Reby" Flint said in a weird tone, Harry didn't quite like it. Rebecca blushed at Flint's nickname for her. "I'll need someone to clean up". He pulled his wand out of his pocket. Rebecca eyes were wide when she caught sight of his wand.

"Potter! Zabini! Take your things and get out, now"! Rebecca said, sterner than she had been the night of the Troll. Without a word Harry and Blaise started to gather all their gifts and belonging and rushed towards their dorm. Before they left thou, Harry caught sight of Marcus Flint erupting into anger and rage as he torched the common room. It was only the strained and controlled effort of Rebecca did the flames stay in the Common Room.

Harry and Blaise didn't speak about what had happened on Christmas morning. Not to each other, or anyone else. When they ventured back to the common room everything was as it was before they had rushed out. The only noticeable change was now the entire room smelt of burnt wood.

On his way to the Christmas feast Harry found Rebecca Severon sitting alone on a staircase leading from the dudgeons. She was looking out a window with a very sad, gloomy stare. Slowly and very shyly Harry walked over to her. "Hey Severon" Harry said softly, pulling her out of her vacant stare of the window.

She looked over to Harry, eyes a little wide, then scowled and looked down. "Potter" she said as she fought to find her words. "Look, it's not my place to tell you what happened there. Marcus is in a really bad place right now." She wiped a tear from her eye and continued. "He'll most likely be fine once class starts again but until then, try your best to stay away from him"

She got up, brushed the hem of her skirt, and put a hand on Harry's shoulder. "Like I said, not my place to tell you" Severon said with a serious tone. "But that doesn't mean you have to go find out". She placed her other hand on his shoulder and stared him in the face.

"Pot-, Harry, I'm asking you not to go poking your head into this. Marcus isn't in the proper state of mind right now. No matter how close you two are, he might not be able to think straight".

Harry nodded.


	16. Mirror of Erised

Harry had never in all his life had such a Christmas dinner. A hundred fat, roast turkeys; mountains of roast and boiled potatoes; platters of chipolatas; tureens of buttered peas, silver boats of thick, rich gravy and cranberry sauce - and stacks of wizard crackers every few feet along the table.

These fantastic party favors were nothing like the feeble Muggle ones the Dursleys usually bought, with their little plastic toys and their flimsy paper hats inside. Harry pulled a wizard cracker with Blaise and it didn't just bang, it went off with a cannon like blast and engulfed them all in a cloud of purple smoke, while from the inside exploded a Viking helmet and several live, white mice. Up at the High Table, Dumbledore had swapped his pointed wizard's hat for a flowered bonnet, and was chuckling merrily at a joke Professor Flitwick had just read him.

Flaming Christmas puddings followed the turkey. Harry watched Hagrid getting redder and redder in the face as he called for more wine, finally kissing Professor McGonagall on the cheek, who, to Harry's amazement, giggled and blushed, her top hat lopsided.

When Harry finally left the table, he was laden down with a stack of things out of the crackers, including a pack of nonexplodable, luminous balloons, and a Grow-Your-Own-Warts kit. He also got a chess set, but since he had already having the one he ordered, he trade it for a toy broom stick that when you threw it, it would keep flying until it something then reappear in the owners hand. The white mice had disappeared and Harry had a nasty feeling they were going to end up as Mrs. Norris's Christmas dinner.

Harry and Blaise spent a peaceful afternoon with their gifts and new books. After a meal of turkey sandwiches, crumpets, trifle, and Christmas cake, everyone felt too full and sleepy to do much except sit and watch the eldest Weasley chase Fred and George all over Great Hall because they'd stolen his prefect badge.

After making there way back to the common room Harry broke in his new chess set by losing to Rebecca in a harsh manner, as most of her pieces worshiped her as a goddess and would cuss and scream at Harry.

It had been Harry's best Christmas day ever. Yet something had been nagging at the back of his mind all day. Not until he climbed into bed was he free to think about it: the invisibility cloak and whoever had sent it.

Blaise, with a book grasp in his arms, and with nothing mysterious to bother him, fell asleep almost as soon as he'd drawn the curtains of his four-poster. Harry leaned over the side of his own bed and pulled the cloak out from under it.

His father's... this had been his father's. He let the material flow over his hands, smoother than silk, light as air. Use it well, the note had said.

He had to try it, now. He slipped out of bed and wrapped the cloak around himself. Looking down at his legs, he saw only moonlight and shadows. It was a very funny feeling.

Use it well.

Suddenly, Harry felt wide-awake. The whole of Hogwarts was open to him in this cloak. Excitement flooded through him as he stood there in the dark and silence. He could go anywhere in this, anywhere, and Filch would never know. He could waltz right into the Great Hall and no one would know.

His mind erupted in thoughts and plans. Mostly about Snake in the grass, some about silly pranks , but right now he thought about Flamel. Blaise rolled over causing his book to fall to the floor. Should Harry wake him. Something held him back - his father's cloak - he felt that this time - the first time - he wanted to use it alone.

He crept out of the common room. Rebecca had fallen asleep on the corner sofa, her cat nuzzled into her lap. As he made his way to the entrance he saw Marcus Flint asleep in a reclining chair. Harry knew that the chair shouldn't be facing the direction it was in. It was facing the corner that Rebecca had fallen asleep in.

Harry shrugged it off and made his way out of the dudgeons. Where should he go. He stopped, his heart racing, and thought. And then it came to him. The Restricted Section in the library. He'd be able to read as long as he liked, as long as it took to find out who Flamel was.

He set off, drawing the invisibility cloak tight around him as he walked.

The library was pitch-black and very eerie. Harry lit a lamp to see his way along the rows of books. The lamp looked as if it was floating along in midair, and even though Harry could feel his arm supporting it, the sight gave him the creeps.

The Restricted Section was right at the back of the library. Step ping carefully over the rope that separated these books from the rest of the library, he held up his lamp to read the titles.

They didn't tell him much. Their peeling, faded gold letters spelled words in languages Harry couldn't understand. Some had no title at all.

One book had a dark stain on it that looked horribly like blood. The hairs on the back of Harry's neck prickled. Maybe he was imagining it, maybe not, but he thought a faint whispering was coming from the books, as though they knew someone was there who shouldn't be.

He had to start somewhere. Setting the lamp down carefully on the floor, he looked along the bottom shelf for an interesting looking book. A large black and silver volume caught his eye. He pulled it out with difficulty, because it was very heavy, and, balancing it on his knee, let it fall open.

A piercing, bloodcurdling shriek split the silence - the book was screaming! Harry snapped it shut, but the shriek went on and on, one high, unbroken, earsplitting note. He stumbled backward and knocked over his lamp, which went out at once. Panicking, he heard footsteps coming down the corridor outside - stuffing the shrieking book back on the shelf, he ran for it.

He passed Filch in the doorway; Filch's pale, wild eyes looked straight through him, and Harry slipped under Filch's outstretched arm and streaked off up the corridor, the book's shrieks still ringing in his ears.

He came to a sudden halt in front of a tall suit of armor. He had been so busy getting away from the library, he hadn't paid attention to where he was going. Perhaps because it was dark, he didn't recognize where he was at all. There was a suit of armor near the kitchens, he knew, but he must be five floors above there.

"You asked me to come directly to you, Professor, if anyone was wandering around at night, and somebody's been in the library Restricted Section." Harry felt the blood drain out of his face. Wherever he was, Filch must know a shortcut, because his soft, greasy voice was getting nearer, and to his horror, it was Snape who replied, "The Restricted Section. Well, they can't be far, we'll catch them." Harry stood rooted to the spot as Filch and Snape came around the corner ahead. They couldn't see him, of course, but it was a narrow corridor and if they came much nearer they'd knock right into him - the cloak didn't stop him from being solid.

He backed away as quietly as he could. A door stood ajar to his left. It was his only hope. He squeezed through it, holding his breath, trying not to move it, and to his relief he managed to get inside the room without their noticing anything. They walked straight past, and Harry leaned against the wall, breathing deeply, listening to their footsteps dying away. That had been close, very close. It was a few seconds before he noticed anything about the room he had hidden in.

It looked like an unused classroom. The dark shapes of desks and chairs were piled against the walls, and there was an upturned wastepaper basket - but propped against the wall facing him was something that didn't look as if it belonged there, something that looked as if someone had just put it there to keep it out of the way.

It was a magnificent mirror, as high as the ceiling, with an ornate gold frame, standing on two clawed feet. There was an inscription carved around the top: Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi. His panic fading now that there was no sound of Filch and Snape, Harry moved nearer to the mirror, wanting to look at himself but see no reflection again. He stepped in front of it.

He had to clap his hands to his mouth to stop himself from screaming. He whirled around. His heart was pounding far more furiously than when the book had screamed - for he had seen not only himself in the mirror, but a whole crowd of people standing right behind him.

But the room was empty. Breathing very fast, he turned slowly back to the mirror.

There he was, reflected in it, white and scared-looking, and there, reflected behind him, were at least ten others. Harry looked over his shoulder - but still, no one was there. Or were they all invisible, too. Was he in fact in a room full of invisible people and this mirror's trick was that it reflected them, invisible or not.

He looked in the mirror again. A woman standing right behind his reflection was smiling at him and waving. He reached out a hand and felt the air behind him. If she was really there, he'd touch her, their reflections were so close together, but he felt only air - she and the others existed only in the mirror.

She was a very pretty woman. She had dark red hair and her eyes - her eyes are just like mine, Harry thought, edging a little closer to the glass. Bright green - exactly the same shape, but then he noticed that she was crying; smiling, but crying at the same time. The tall, thin, black-haired man standing next to her put his arm around her. He wore glasses, and his hair was very untidy. It stuck up at the back, just as Harry's did.

Harry was so close to the mirror now that his nose was nearly touching that of his reflection.

"Mom." he whispered. "Dad." They just looked at him, smiling. And slowly, Harry looked into the faces of the other people in the mirror, and saw other pairs of green eyes like his, other noses like his, even a little old man who looked as though he had Harry's knobbly knees - Harry was looking at his family, for the first time in his life. The Potters smiled and waved at Harry and he stared hungrily back at them, his hands pressed flat against the glass as though he was hoping to fall right through it and reach them. He had a powerful kind of ache inside him, half joy, half terrible sadness.

How long he stood there, he didn't know. The reflections did not fade and he looked and looked until a distant noise brought him back to his senses. He couldn't stay here, he had to find his way back to bed. He tore his eyes away from his mother's face, whispered, "I'll come back," and hurried from the room.

"It would have been alright if you had woken me up," said Blaise.

"You can come tonight, I'm going back, I want to show you the mirror" Harry said. "I want to see all your family". Harry was so excited he missed the flash of shame across Blasie's face.

"Shame that you didn't find anything about Flamel. Just imagine what we can do now, Weasley will never no what hit him." Blaise said in a joyful tone. "Are you going to finish your bacon or shall I?" Blaise asked as he forked more hash browns. "Why aren't you eating anything".

Harry couldn't eat. He had seen his parents and would be seeing them again tonight. He had almost forgotten about Flamel. It didn't seem very important anymore. Who cared what the three headed dog was guarding.

What did it matter if Snape stole it, really.

"Are you sure you're all right." said Blaise. "You seem upset." What Harry feared most was that he might not be able to find the mirror room again. With Blaise covered in the cloak, too, they had to walk much more slowly the next night. They tried retracing Harry's route from the library, wandering around the dark passageways for nearly an hour.

"It's here, just here, yes!" They pushed the door open. Harry dropped the cloak from around his shoulders and ran to the mirror.

There they were. His mother and father beamed at the sight of him.

"See." Harry whispered.

"I don't see anything." Blaise said standing next to Harry. He pulled his sweater closer to his chest.

"Look! Look at them all. There's loads of them" Harry said as he looked around at the family in the mirror

"I can only see you." Blaise said sounding a little defeated.

"Look in it properly, go on, stand where I am." Harry stepped aside, but with Blaise in front of the mirror, he couldn't see his family anymore, just Blaise in his cotton pajamas.

Blaise, though, was staring transfixed at his image. He almost looked afraid.

"Can you see all your family standing around you?" Harry asked excited.

"No." Blaise said eyes still staring straight ahead. He started to look a little pale.

"What." Harry said frowning. If the mirror didn't show Blaise his family, but Harry it did, then what did it mean.

"Then what do you see?" Harry asked a little impatient.

Blaise still had not looked away, nor had he moved an inch. "I see my Father" he said, his voice climbing.

Harry now realized the effect the mirror was having on Blaise. "Blaise are you ok?" Harry asked sounding very worried.

"Harry, my Father, I never knew this man. He died when my mother was still pregnant with me" Blaise said.

There was a small noise from the corridor. They hadn't realized how loudly they had been talking. "Quick!" Harry threw the cloak back over them as the luminous eyes of Mrs. Norris came round the door. Harry and Blaise stood quite still, both thinking the same thing. 'Did the cloak work on cats'?

After what seemed an age, she turned and left. "This isn't safe, she might have gone for Filch, I bet she heard us. Come on." And Harry pulled Blaise out of the room.


	17. Some Ammount of Fruition

Harry and Blaise had had a very long discussion about the mirror. Blaise was clearly more affected by it than Harry and wanted nothing to do with it. He warned Harry to leave it alone as well. Harry was less inclined to listen and a few nights later found himself in front of the mirror again.

He was so interested in memories their faces that the approaching footfalls went unnoticed.

"So, back again, Harry?"

Harry felt as though his insides had turned to ice. He didn't bother to turn around. He knew it was Dumbledore and if he was in trouble then he'd spend these last moments still looking at his parents.

"I didn't see you, sir." Harry said quietly.

"Strange how nearsighted being invisible can make you," said Dumbledore,

Harry finally turned to look at the Headmaster. He was relieved to see a gently smile on his face as he sat on a desk not far from Harry. "So," said Dumbledore, slipping off the desk to sit on the floor with Harry, "you, like hundreds before you, have discovered the delights of the Mirror of Erised."

"I didn't know it was called that, Sir." Harry said returning his attention to the mirror. He could almost imagine he could feel his mother's touch on his shoulder.

Almost.

"But I expect you've realized by now what it does?" Dumbledore asked

"It, well, it shows me my family." Harry said with uncertainty in his voice. Dumbledore being here now meant something had either changed or was about to change.

"As it did with Mr. Zabini." Dumbledore said with a kind of sad smile.

"How did you know?" Harry asked turning to face Dumbledore.

"I don't need a cloak to become invisible," said Dumbledore gently.

"Now, can you think what the Mirror of Erised shows us all?"

Harry shook his head.

"Let me explain. The happiest man on earth would be able to use the Mirror of Erised like a normal mirror, that is, he would look into it and see himself exactly as he is. Does that help?"

Harry thought. Then he said slowly, "It shows us what we want...whatever we want..."

"Yes and no," said Dumbledore quietly. "It shows us nothing more or less than the deepest, most desperate desire of our hearts. You, who have never known your family, see them standing around you. Blaise Zabini also having never known his Father sees a man that he secretly or perhaps subconsciously imagines to be his father. However, this mirror will give us neither knowledge or truth. Men have wasted away before it, entranced by what they have seen, or been driven mad, not knowing if what it shows is real or even possible."

"The Mirror will be moved to a new home tomorrow, Harry, and I ask you not to go looking for it again. If you ever do run across it, you will now be prepared. It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live, remember that. Now, why don't you put that admirable cloak back on and

get off to bed?"

Harry stood up. "Sir - Professor Dumbledore? Can I ask you something?" Harry said finding his courage once more.

"Obviously, you've just done so," Dumbledore smiled. "You may ask me one more thing, however."

"What do you see when you look in the mirror?"

"I? I see myself holding a pair of thick, woolen socks." Harry stared. "One can never have enough socks," said Dumbledore. "Another Christmas has come and gone and I didn't get a single pair. People will insist on giving me books."

It was only when he was back in bed that it struck Harry that Dumbledore might not have been quite truthful. But then, he thought, it had been quite a personal question.

Harry had explained to Blaise what had happened with the Mirror and with Dumbledore. Blaise said next to nothing, only agreeing with Dumbledore not to search for the mirror anymore. This did not however prevent Harry and Blaise from enjoying their newfound freedom in the form of Harry's invisibility Cloak.

Explorer the Castle after hours, following Prefects, and most often exploring the Restricted Section of the Library. They mostly enjoyed the ability to do so, most times they simply ended up bored by the reading material so beyond them that it made next to no sense what so ever. They did however end up with a good idea of how and when the Library was patrolled.

They were in high spirits by the time the rest of the student body returned to Hogwarts. Harry was als pleased to see Marcus Flint had returned to his usual antagonistic self. There was some unspoken agreement between Harry, Blaise, Rebecca, and Marcus that Christmas morning wasn't talked about.

It wasn't long until Marcus was talking Quidditch with his team back. Despite the many things people like to call Marcus behind his back, and less often to his face, Lazy was never one of them. "Listen up Team. After the trouncing we gave Gryffindor I expect to see that again when we play Ravenclaw." he shouted at them as they ate breakfast on the first monday back to the normal class routine.

"For some inspired reason, Dumbledore has seen fit to have Snape referee the upcoming matches. Slytherin-Ravenclaw, and Gryffindor-Hufflepuff." Marcus said with a twisted smile. "Now I don't see a reason to let this opportunity pass us by. We're gonna be focusing on ball control and scoring. Potter, Derrick, Bole. I want you lot to read up fouls for Beaters and Seekers. I want you lot doing everything you can to make sure Ravenclaw is always at a disadvantage. Just don't make it obvious. Snape is going to have our back but let's not be stupid about this."

What that meant was harder practises than before. Harry was having to get used to intercepting players and intentionally ramming chasers and blocking keepers. By the end of their first new training regiment Harry was more sore than he ever had been from Quidditch practice. By the time he got back to the Slytherin common room he almost didn't want to open his books, but some less than gently prodding by Blaise and Pansy of all people had him reviewing their Charms homework.

By the end of the first hour Harry was so tired he grabbed his Keeper's Book by mistake. He opened it and found that Hermione had filled pages upon pages of information on the Weasley family. Harry hadn't checked his Keeper's Book in more than a month. Clearly Hermione had been much more diligent.

Harry very quickly flipped through the pages looking as far back as the last time he made an entry. After that it seemed to be just random notes but every now and then, something truly inspiring.

' _Ronald is deathly afraid of spiders'_

' _The eldest Weasley, William or Bill is a Curse Breaker. Very advance types of Magic for that."_

' _Charlie, second oldest, works with Dragons. Extremely Dangerous.'_

' _Percy dreams of being the Minister of Magic one day.'_

' _Ronald idolizes the Quidditch team, the Chuddley Cannons, despite losing streak spanning decades."_

' _Parents Arthur and Molly. Arthur works for the Ministry, Molly homemaker.'_ Harry rolled his eyes at the polite term for did nothing. Technically speaking Aunt Petunia was a homemaker and all she did was spy on the neighbours and make Harry cook and clean.

Harry kept reading through the notes and pages. Finally the random facts started mentioning Ginny.

' _Idolizes you, go figure.'_

' _Loves Quidditch, family trend.'_

 _Twins mention mischievous streak and extreme temper.'_

' _Percy mentions love of Wizarding Fairy Tales.'_

Harry wrote back his thanks and explained that they most likely had more than they would need. Harry explained that with no more spying on the Weasleys needed, Hermione might wanna spend her time investigating the Philosopher's Stone.

Going over all of Hermione's note Harry came to the conclusion as the youngest of the siblings, Ginny would be just a bit over protected. He couldn't risk separating her too much without their Trust.

Fred and George were friendly enough, Harry figured he could be around Ginny with them and not trigger the big brother protection. Percy just needed the right ego strokes. Now with the knowledge of his Ministry aspirations, that wouldn't be too hard. Ronald would be the worst and most difficult to overcome if at all. But for now Harry needed to work on the Weasley Parents.

It was all kind of a blur. Inspiration, desperation, situation, and finally reputation.

Harry threw another punch as Ronald threw him to the ground by his collar. A crowd had formed around them cheering and chanting. Harry staggered to his feet. Felt the blood pooling from his nose. He saw Ronald's bleeding and swollen lip. It was all too easy.

"You fight worse than you dress, and seeing I'm sure everything on you is second rate, that's saying something." Harry said before spitting on the ground. He welcomed Ron's advance. He felt the air force out of him as Ron's shoulder made contact with his stomach. Harry was thrown to the ground once more, this time with Ron on top of him rearing a fist. At the apex of Ron's wind up he just stopped.

Suddenly they were throw away from each violently, both rolling away. By the time Harry knew what was happen the crowd of onlookers was scattering in all direction. Harry caught his bearing and looked up to see a furious Professor Flitwick.

"The, the, NERVE of you two. In the middle of a corridor rough housing like a pair of neanderthals." Flitwick shouted at them. His wand in hand, Harry was about to speak but was forcibly silent by a subtle twist of Flitwick's wand. "Do not even try it Mr. Potter. I know how much you had a part in this!"

Harry lowered his head. Flitwick muttered under his breath and Harry felt his nose tingle and the bleeding stopped. "Now, that will be 50 Points from each of you and detention. I think Hagrid has some need of extra hands this weekend. Now I expect to find out that both of you returned to your respective common rooms this afternoon without delay and were not seen leaving them until tomorrow morning" Flitwick said in such an authoritative voice that if Harry had not planned for this to happen with this fallout in mind, he would have been inclined to comply.

Harry took off as fast as an embarrassed, punished Slytherin should. He returned to the Slytherin common room and immediately went for his Keeper's Book. He wrote to Hermione and asked her to pass a message to the Twins that he wanted to speak with them tonight, after curfew. Harry gave her specific instruction on what to tell Fred and George and where.

Harry returned the book into his trunk and locked it tight, but not before retrieving his invisibility cloak. Harry having blown past all the attention he had received when he first entered the common now returned to it in all his glory. The entire room seemed to be looking at him. He wasn't sure what they wanted, but Harry knew well enough that he needed this to be a victory or they'd never forget this perceived weakness.

"Does anyone know how to get blood out? I think I let Weasley bleed on me" Harry said with a smirk. The Quidditch team were the first to laugh and join Harry, followed by the older boys. They all mostly proceeded to give Harry a rough time and jokingly roughed him up. Finally one of the 5th Slytherin girls approached with a shake of her head and a few swishes of her wand all the blood had been removed from Harry white uniform.

"Potter, eventually we'll expect you to not get blood on yourself." she said before returning to her friends.

Harry caught the underlying point. They expected there to be a next time, and for him to not get blood on himself. Very quickly did the moment pass and the boys returned to their celebrations and rough housing.

As the night went on Harry was eventually released from the male machismo and returned to his bunk. He checked his Keeper's book and saw that Hermione had relayed the message and the Twins were more than happy to meet with him in the dark of the night after they had seen what happened to Ronald.

Harry knew that he'd have to play his hand pretty hard to make sure that Fred and George, would not want to

Harry waited until the common empty for the most part and with the aid of his invisibility cloak exitted unnoticed. He made his way to the last corridor before exiting Hogwarts. Hagrids's hut was in sight just beyond the hill and the stone steps. Harry still under the protection of his invisibility cloak saw the twins on either side of the stone archway he'd need to go through.

He slowly backed up and was about to fake his entrance when he was specifically called out. "Potter?" Fred said looking up from a piece of parchment. He looked directly at Harry. Harry had only ever been caught by Dumbledore and that was simply due to his own stupidity. No one had ever caught him in the cloak. Not Filch, nor the Prefects, not even Snape.

George joined his brother and looked directly at Harry. Whatever that parchent was it let them know he was in the room. Harry removed the cloak and approached them. Harry could see the amazement on their faces. "Invisibility Cloak." He answered simply. "You?" he asked nodded at the folded mass of parchment.

"Map of Hogwarts. Show everyone in Hogwarts." Fred said then remembered he was angry at Harry and shoeved the map into his pocket. "You've got a lot of nerve wanting to see us after what you did to Ron." George nodded and crossed his arms.

"Yeah, You're just lucky that Granger was able to remind us that Ron isn't exactly fair when he explains anything to do with you." George said with a half frown. "You don't look like you er, took the beating of a lifetime. Ron on the other hand." George made a sympathetic grimace. "We are here though, so what do you want?"

Harry was grateful that they weren't planning on being violent with him. "I wanted to apologies. Not to Ron, he won't accept it. But rather, to your parents." Harry said, instantly regretting not coming up with something better to said. He now realized how awkward it sounded. "I rather do enjoy the Weasley company. You two are hoot. Percy is a shining example of polite, studious, and in certain circles, a good person to befriend." Harry smirked.

"I'd like to hang out sometime regardless of one soured source." Harry gave them a knowing glance. "You think you guys could butter up your folks so I could write them up explaining how much a help you've been? Hogwarts has been so big and scary. I would have gotten lost without your help. The older students scare me, but you're always there for me." Harry wiped away nonexistent tears and gave them a dry smirk.

Fred and George shared a knowing and gleeful glance. "I think we might be able to do something." Fred said faking modesty.

"It might be possible." George said with equal amounts of bad acting.

The three of them worked out the finer details of their charade and were about to say their goodbyes when Fred's expression changed. Like someone had told him they had poisoned the Pie he had just eaten.

"Potter. Did, did you getting into a scrap with Ron just so you could butter up our folks?" Fred asked sounding suspicious. "I'm not upset, but I'm looking at this and it seems a little too clean cut round the edges. Trust me, I know when something looks too clean, ain't that right George?"

George nodded. "Like when a Professor asks how Quidditch Practice went the day after a big prank." George said leaning in. "They never ask about that. Not once. Unless that is."

"They know something." Fred finished. "You come along after making a fool of yourself and you want to make good with mum and dad. Put yourself in our shoes. That seems a little too convenient, don't it?"

Harry just kept his expression, that of a Deer caught in headlights. He pretended to get his thoughts together, when in actuality he had been thinking his way out of this the entire time. "When you put it that way it makes me sound like a mastermind." Harry said sounding like he was accepting compliments. "You can ask Ron. I was just running when he turned the corner and there he was. Not everyone has an Enchanted map. I couldn't have known he would be there."

"I was supposed to meet Blaise in the Library. I was late, nothing more." Harry said doing his best to sound genuine. "I'm a little surprised you guys think I could have come up with a plan like this." Harry smiled and slipped his invisibility cloak over his shoulders. "I'll see you guys later." And with that Harry was no longer a floating head. He quickly ducked around the twins and was gone.


	18. Norbert the Dragon

Harry was on top of the world. He had recently received a reply from his letter to Mr and Mrs. Weasley. They were ecstatic that Fred and George had been a positive influence to Harry and were more than happy to have him as a friend to the Weasleys. They had been more than apologetic about his encounters with Ron and assured him that no one else in the family thought less of him because of their less than friendly relationship.

Not only was he in correspondence with them but Slytherin had just defeated Ravenclaw in their latest Quidditch match. Flint had been correct that Snape would favor Slytherin and make it easier for them to win. Harry left the locker room alone some time later, to take his Nimbus Two

Thousand back to the broomshed. He couldn't ever remember feeling happier. He'd really done something to be proud of now. That was two games in a row he'd won. No one could say he was just a famous name any more. The evening air had never smelled so sweet. He walked over the damp grass, reliving the last hour in his head, which was a happy blur

All the Slytherin cheering and congradulations. Harry had reached the shed. He leaned against the wooden door and looked up at Hogwarts, with its windows glowing red in the setting sun.

Slytherin maintained their lead. Harry was sure he'd have done it even without Snape's referring.

And speaking of Snape...

A hooded figure came swiftly down the front steps of the castle. Clearly not wanting to be seen, it walked as fast as possible toward the forbidden forest. Harry's victory faded from his mind as he watched. He recognized the figure's prowling walk. Snape, sneaking into the forest while everyone else was at dinner. Harry wondered what was going on.

Harry jumped back on his Nimbus Two Thousand and took off. Gliding silently over the castle he saw Snape enter the forest at a run. He followed.

The trees were so thick he couldn't see where Snape had gone. He flew in circles, lower and lower, brushing the top branches of trees until he heard voices. He glided toward them and landed noiselessly in a towering beech tree.

He climbed carefully along one of the branches, holding tight to his broomstick, trying to see through the leaves. Below, in a shadowy clearing, stood Snape, but he wasn't alone. Quirrell was there, too. Harry couldn't make out the look on his face, but he was stuttering worse than ever. Harry strained to catch what they were saying.

"... d-don't know why you wanted t-t-to meet here of all p-places,

Severus..." Quirrell whimpered.

"Oh, I thought we'd keep this private," said Snape, his voice icy. "Students aren't supposed to know about the Sorcerer's Stone, after all."

Harry leaned forward. Quirrell was mumbling something. Snape interrupted him. "Have you found out how to get past that beast of Hagrid's yet?"

"B-b-but Severus, I -" Quirrell attempted again but was silenced.

"You don't want me as your enemy, Quirrell," said Snape, taking a step toward him.

"I-I don't know what you." Harry was started to feel sorry for Quirrell.

"You know perfectly well what I mean."

An owl hooted loudly, and Harry nearly fell out of the tree. He steadied himself in time to hear Snape say, "your little bit of hocus-pocus. I'm waiting."

"B-but I d-d-don't." Harry considered lower himself to better hear Quirrell but didn't risk being discovered.

"Very well," Snape cut in. "We'll have another little chat soon, when you've had time to think things over and decided where your loyalties lie."

He threw his cloak over his head and strode out of the clearing. It was almost dark now, but Harry could see Quirrell, standing quite still as though he was petrified. Harry quickly and silently returned to Hogwarts and stored his broom away.

Harry thought about returning to the Slytherin common room but with his new information decided he wasn't in a celebrating mood. He made his way to the Library and tried looking for anything on the Sorcerer's Stone he could. By the end of the night he had found reference to it a few times but it always led him to a book that had been taken out already.

When he inquired with Madam Price as to who had the book and when he could get it next she informed him of the waiting list for just such book. In retrospect it should have surprised him at all that the current holder of the book was one Hermione Granger. For the sake of not seeming suspicious Harry wrote his name down on the list, thanked Madam Price and left the library.

He returned to the common room and was pleased to see the festivities had died down. He received many encouragements and boosting of Slytherin from his housemates as he made his way to his dorm. Once there he quickly retrieved his Keeper's Book and wrote to Hermione arranging to meet the next day before lunch so she could give him a summarized version of the Sorcerer's Stone.

Next morning Harry explained to Blaise everything that had transpired with Ron and the Twins. He explained how he was now in correspondence with Mr and Mrs. Weasley and how he was planning on using that to get in contact with Ginny. Before he could go into details the morning mail delivery came in. The near hundreds of owls dropping off post and newspapers.

Harry was a little surprised to see Balthazar leaving him a letter. He didn't get a lot of mail, usually just a delivery owl with the Daily Prophet. No sooner had Balthazar dropped the letter had he taken off. Harry inspected the letter and found Hagrid's chicken scratch.

 _Harry_

 _Got something to show you. Bring that friend of yours from last time if you'd like, but don't tell anyone else._

 _Hagrid_

Harry made sure no one had seen his letter before placing it in his pocket. He told Blaise in a whisper that Hagrid had invited them over for something secret. That alone was enough to invoke Blaise's curiosity and they both set off towards Hagrid's. On the way Harry ran into Hermione who was just about to find him and explain the Sorcerer's Stone. Harry extended the invite to Hagrid's. Maybe Hagrid would be able to shed more light on the subject.

As they approached Hagrid's Hut Harry took notice that all of Hagrid's windows were boarded shut and Fang sprawled out on his back next to the front steps. Harry shared concerned looks with Blaise and Hermione. He approached and knocked on the door. There was a clatter followed by Hagrid's muffled voice.

"Who is it?" Hagrid shouted sounding less than friendly.

Harry was momentarily taken aback. Hagrid had never been an angry fellow. Hearing him not welcome guest with open arms was odd. "Hagrid! Its Harry, I got your letter. Blaise and Hermione are here with me." Harry shouted in kind.

Hagrid slowly opened the door. Relief washed over him as he saw Harry and his friends. "Well, come on, in yah get." Hagrid said quickly ushering them in. "You lot are in for a treat. Only just hatched last night." Hagrid said putting on a pair of thick leather gloves. "Now, mind yourself, he stills hasn't gotten over his hiccups or his fire breath."

Hagrid then slowly revealed a small moving mound of scales. "Meet Norbert. Ain't he a Beaut!" Hagrid said proudly.

It took everyone a few seconds to take in. Hagrid owned a newborn, baby Dragon. Hagrid, massive, kind hearted, Gameskeeper, Hagrid. "You live in a wooden hut." Blaise pointed out as if everyone else had forgotten. "Not that keeping a dragon in any home wouldn't be a challenge, but everything here is wood."

Harry nodded. "Geez, I thought Hogwarts was tough enough with the crazy stairs, moving suits of armor and giant three-headed dogs!" Harry said exasperated. He almost didn't notice Hagrid's shocked expression.

"Who told you about Fluffy?" Hagrid asked with a frown. He didn't look away from Harry as he reached into one of his numerous pockets and retrieved a bloody strip of meat. The smell of the blood, the meat or a combination of the two stir Norbert and he was now actively searching for the smell.

"Fluffy?" Harry asked incredulously. "That beast is yours?" Harry's attention was torn between staring at Hagrid with utter guffaw and watching the baby dragon breath fire on the meat and tear it to pieces

"Yeah he's him off a Greek chappie I met in the pub las' year." Hagrid said. It was clear that he was upset and confused that Harry knew about him. "I lent him to Dumbledore to guard the." Hagrid stopped himself and pursed his lips.

"Sorcerer's Stone" said Harry.

No sooner had Harry said the words had Hagrid attempted at words and failed miserbly. "What in sam blazes do you lot know about that!?" Hagrid did his best not to shout. "That's a top secret type thing. You shouldn't be sticking your nose into that."

Harry had a rather unconvinced look on his face. "Hagrid, you picked it up the same day you and I went to Gringotts. I was there." Harry said nonchalantly.

Hagrid was rather embarrassed he had forgotten that detail. "Never you mind that. What matters is that you shouldn't be sticking your nose where it ain't meant to be." Hagrid said adamantly. Seeing Nobert had finished the first strip Hagrid reached into the same pocket and produced another.

"Hagrid, what exactly are you feeding, Norbert?" Hermione asked clearly curious but too terrified to approach the baby dragon.

Hagrid was clearly grateful for a change in discussion. "Well, from what I could figure out, the mother feed the babies eviscerated wild turkeys." Hagrid said looking thoughtful. "Now Hogwarts may not have wild turkeys, we do have our fair share of wild hens. Spent all day yesterday and the day before with Fang. I've got my fare share of sliced meat for little Norbert."

Harry shared a glance with Blaise. "Hagrid, you must realise this is no place to raise a dragon. Come summer he won't fit in here." Harry said motion to the entirety of Hagrid's hut. "There must be somewhere for him to go."

There was a snap and a whooshing sound as Norbert hiccupped and blew uncontrollable fire onto his meat slice. "Go? What'cha mean 'Go'?" Hagrid said sounding upset and a bit hurt. "He doesn't have to go anywhere. I'll raise him and train him and get him hunting in the Forest. It'll be fine." Hagrid was sounding less confident as he explained himself.

"Hagrid, what if I told I knew someone that made it their life's work to look after Dragons and to care for them." Harry said looking at Hermione. "What if we could send Norbert to live and grow amongst other dragons?"

There was a moment of silence before Hermione caught on and looked at Harry. "Of course. That would be brilliant." she said reaching for her notes. "It wouldn't even be all that difficult for him to transport a newborn like this."

Blaise could see what they were getting at and decided it best to remain silent. "

"What are you going on about?" Hagrid asked taking a seat at his massive table and dangling his fingers for Norbert to play with.

Harry did his best to explain to Hagrid that he had befriended Fred and George Weasley and that their older brother Charlie was now a Professional Dragon Handler in Romania. He could have the twins bring Charlie to Hogwarts and pick up Norbert before anyone else finds out.

It took some convincing but eventually Hagrid agreed to have Harry ask the twins for help.


	19. The Forbidden Forest

Over the next couple of days Harry had been sneaking and planning with the Twins who were writing to their brother Charlie about the situation. Harry hadn't really needed to do any convincing what so ever. He might have just mention the opportunity to smuggle something highly illegal and highly dangerous out of Hogwarts in the middle of the night. He saw the sparkle in their eyes and knew this would be their primary focus until it was over.

No sooner had Harry told the twins did it seem like the night in question was finally upon them. With Draco's and Blaise's help Harry was able to get Norbert up one of the higher Astronomy Towers where the twins were waiting for him. Harry did the civil thing and introduce his friends to the twins and they waited in silence for Charlie to arrive.

After an hour George pointed out a group of brooms and saw Charlie waving in the moonlit sky. No sooner had Charlie arrived was he gone with Norbert in tow. Everyone said their congratulations and their goodbyes. Harry was just glad it was behind him

Then, about a week before the exams were due to start, Harry's new resolution not to interfere in anything that didn't concern him was put to an unexpected test. Walking back from the library on his own one afternoon, he heard somebody whimpering from a classroom up ahead. As he

drew closer, he heard Quirrell's voice.

"No, no, not again, please"

It sounded as though someone was threatening him. Harry moved closer. "All right, all right" he heard Quirrell sob. Next second, Quirrell came hurrying out of the classroom straightening his turban. He was pale and looked as though he was about to cry. He strode out of sight; Harry didn't think Quirrell had even noticed him. He waited until Quirrell's footsteps had disappeared, then peered into the classroom. It was empty, but a door stood ajar at the other end. Harry was halfway toward it before he remembered what he'd promised himself about not meddling.

With all that had happened in the last few weeks Harry had forgotten about his detention with Ron until a Rebecca had handed him a note

 _Your detention will take place at eleven o'clock tonight. Meet Mr. Filch_

 _in the entrance hall._

 _Professor Flitwick_

At eleven o'clock that night, Harry said goodbyes in the common room and went down to the entrance hall. Filch was already there and so was Ron. "Follow me," said Filch, lighting a lamp and leading them outside.

"I bet you'll think twice about breaking a school rule again, won't you, eh?" he said, leering at them. "Oh yes... hard work and pain are the best teachers if you ask me... It's just a pity they let the old punishments die out... hang you by your wrists from the ceiling for a few days, I've got the chains still in my office, keep 'em well oiled in case they're ever needed... Right, off we go, and don't think of running off, now, it'll be worse for you if you do."

They marched off across the dark grounds. Harry wondered what their punishment was going to be. It must be something really horrible, or Filch wouldn't be sounding so delighted. The moon was bright, but clouds scudding across it kept throwing them into darkness. Ahead, Harry could see the lighted windows of Hagrid's hut. Then they heard a distant shout. "Is that you, Filch? Hurry up, I want ter get started."

Harry's heart rose; if they were going to be working with Hagrid it wouldn't be so bad. His relief must have showed in his face, because Filch said, "I suppose you think you'll be enjoying yourself with that oaf? Well, think again, boy - it's into the forest you're going and I'm much mistaken if you'll all come out in one piece."

At this, Ron turned to glare at Harry as if blaming him more so.

Hagrid came striding toward them out of the dark, Fang at his heel. He was carrying his large crossbow, and a quiver of arrows hung over his shoulder. "Abou' time," he said. "I bin waitin' fer half an hour already. All right, Harry, Ron?"

"I shouldn't be too friendly to them, Hagrid," said Filch coldly, they're here to be punished, after all."

"That's why yer late, is it?" said Hagrid, frowning at Filch. "Bin lecturin' them, eh? 'Snot your place ter do that. Yeh've done yer bit, I'll take over from here."

"I'll be back at dawn," said Filch, "for what's left of them," he added nastily, and he turned and started back toward the castle, his lamp bobbing away in the darkness.

Harry knew as friendly as Hagrid was if he was given a duty by Dumbledore to oversee a punishment, he'd do it properly. So he kept his mouth shut and do as he was told

"Right then," said Hagrid, "now, listen carefully, 'cause it's dangerous what we're gonna do tonight, an' I don' want no one takin' risks. Follow me over here a moment."

He led them to the very edge of the forest. Holding his lamp up high, he pointed down a narrow, winding earth track that disappeared into the thick black trees. A light breeze lifted their hair as they looked into the forest.

"Look there," said Hagrid, "see that stuff shinin' on the ground? Silvery stuff? That's unicorn blood. There's a unicorn in there bin hurt badly by summat. This is the second time in a week. I found one dead last Wednesday. We're gonna try an' find the poor thing. We might have ter put it out of its misery."

Harry unable to keep silent anymore voiced his concerns"And what if whatever hurt the unicorn finds us first?"

"There's nothin' that lives in the forest that'll hurt yeh if yer with me or Fang," said Hagrid. "An' keep ter the path. Right, now, we're gonna split inter two parties an' follow the trail in diff'rent

directions. There's blood all over the place, it must've bin staggerin' around since last night at least."

Harry gave them a quick review of instructions on how to cast colored sparks. "If we get seperated throw up some green sparks, right? Right. Let go." Hagrid said as he led them further into the forest.

The forest was black and silent. A little way into it they reached a fork in the earth path. Hagrid glared at it. "Alright. Here's what's gonna happen. You two are gonna take the left path with Fang, I'm gonna trek further long the right." Hagrid said stoing his crossbow. "We're not far from Centaur territory. Nothing in the forest tangles with the Centaurs, so you should be safe."

Harry and Ron walked in silence, their eyes on the ground, but before they could get very far Hagrid sprinted over to them and pulled them behind a tree. He pulled out an arrow and fitted it into his crossbow, raising it, ready to fire. The three of them listened. Something was slithering over dead leaves nearby: it sounded like a cloak trailing along the ground. Hagrid was squinting up the dark path, but after a few seconds, the sound faded away. "I knew it, " he murmured. "There's summat in here that shouldn' be."

"Who's there?" Hagrid called. "Show yerself - I'm armed!"

And into the clearing came a Centaur. "Oh, it's you, Ronan," said Hagrid in relief. "How are yeh?" He walked forward and shook the centaur's hand.

"Good evening to you, Hagrid," said Ronan. He had a deep, sorrowful voice. "Were you going to shoot me?"

"Can't be too careful, Ronan," said Hagrid, patting his crossbow. "There's summat bad loose in this forest. This is Harry Potter an' Ron Weasley, by the way. Students up at the school. An' this is Ronan, you two. He's a centaur.

"Clearly." Harry said still a bit in awe.

"Good evening," said Ronan. "Students, are you? And do you learn much, up at the school?"

Harry wasn't sure what kind of question that was. Was he being asked seriously about the amount of his schooling. "More than I ever thought I could." Harry answered genuinely.

"And be sure to remember that in the future Harry Potter. More than you thought will never disappoint." Ronan sighed. He looked as if he had more to say but reacted as if something caught his eye. He flung back his head and stared at the sky. "Mars is bright tonight."

"Yeah," said Hagrid, glancing up, too. "Listen, I'm glad we've run inter yeh, Ronan, 'cause there's a unicorn bin hurt - you seen anythin'?" Ronan didn't answer immediately. He stared unblinkingly upward, then sighed again.

"Always the innocent are the first victims," he said. "So it has been for ages past, so it is now."

"Yeah," said Hagrid, "but have yeh seen anythin', Ronan? Anythin' unusual?"

"Mars is bright tonight," Ronan repeated, while Hagrid watched him impatiently. "Unusually bright."

Harry could sympathize with Hagrid's frustation.

"Yeah, but I was meanin' anythin' unusual a bit nearer home, said Hagrid. "So yeh haven't noticed anythin' strange?"

Yet again, Ronan took a while to answer. At last, he said, "The forest hides many secrets."

A movement in the trees behind Ronan made Hagrid raise his bow again, but it was only a second centaur, black-haired and -bodied and wilder-looking than Ronan.

"Hullo, Bane," said Hagrid. "All right?"

"Good evening, Hagrid, I hope you are well?"

"Well enough. Look, I've jus' bin askin' Ronan, you seen anythin' odd in here lately? There's a unicorn bin injured - would yeh know anythin' about it?"

Bane walked over to stand next to Ronan. He looked skyward. "Mars is bright tonight," he said simply.

Harry shook his head. "We've heard," said Hagrid grumpily. "Well, if either of you do see anythin', let me know, won't yeh? We'll be off, then."

Harry and Ron followed him out of the clearing, staring over their shoulders at Ronan and Bane until the trees blocked their view. "Never," said Hagrid irritably, "try an' get a straight answer out of a centaur. Ruddy stargazers. Not interested in anythin' closer'n the moon."

"I didn't know the Forest had centaurs." Ron said finally finding his voice. "There a lot of them?"

"Oh, a fair few... Keep themselves to themselves mostly, but they're good enough about turnin' up if ever I want a word. They're deep, mind, centaurs... they know things... jus' don' let on much."

"D'you think that was a centaur we heard earlier?" said Harry.

"Did that sound like hooves to you?" Hagrid asked Rhetorically. "Nah, if yeh ask me, that was what's bin killin' the unicorns - never heard anythin' like it before."

They walked on through the dense, dark trees. Harry kept looking nervously over his shoulder. He had the nasty feeling they were being watched. He was very glad they had Hagrid and his crossbow with them.

There was a blood curdling winny and the forest seemed to shudder. Hagrid stood tall and gripped his crossbow tightly. "You two wait here!" Hagrid shouted. "Stay on the path, I'll come back for yeh!"

They heard him crashing away through the undergrowth and stood looking at each other, very scared, until they couldn't hear anything but the rustling of leaves around them.

The minutes dragged by in complete silence. Neither of them seemed remotely interested in having a conversation. Their ears seemed sharper than usual. Harry's seemed to be picking up every sigh of the wind, every cracking twig.

What was going on? Where were the others? At last, a great crunching noise announced Hagrid's return.

"Whatever it was seemed to have injured a Unicorn, bad." Hagrid said reloading his crossbow. "You two are gonna head in that direction back to the school and I'm gonna see if I can head either of them off. I want the both of you to wait for me where Filch dropped you off." It was clear there was no remove for questions in Hagrid's tone.

No sooner had Hagrid left them did it seem like they were lost. "We should find Hagrid." Ron said. Harry couldn't think of any better ideas, nodded and they turned back.

They walked for nearly half an hour, deeper and deeper into the forest, until the path became almost impossible to follow because the trees were so thick. Harry thought the blood seemed to be getting thicker. There were splashes on the roots of a tree, as though the poor creature had been thrashing around in pain close by. Harry could see a clearing ahead, through the tangled branches of an ancient oak.

"Look -" he murmured, holding out his arm to stop Ron. Something bright white was gleaming on the ground. They inched closer. It was the unicorn all right, and it was dead. Harry had never seen anything so beautiful and sad. Its long, slender legs were stuck out at odd angles where it had fallen and its mane was spread pearly-white on the dark leaves.

Harry had taken one step toward it when a slithering sound made him freeze where he stood. A bush on the edge of the clearing quivered...

Then, out of the shadows, a hooded figure came crawling across the ground like some stalking beast. Harry, Ron, and Fang stood transfixed. The cloaked figure reached the unicorn, lowered its head over the wound in the animal's side, and began to drink its blood.

Ron merely stood petrified and whimpered. The hooded figure seemed to notice them and raised it head. With a sickening snap it looked directly at them. Ron let out a terrible scream and bolted, so did Fang. The hooded figure ignored them and looked right at Harry - unicorn blood was dribbling down its front. It got to its feet and came swiftly toward Harry - he couldn't move for fear.

Then a pain like he'd never felt before pierced his head; it was as though his scar were on fire. Half blinded, he staggered backward. He heard hooves behind him, galloping, and something jumped clean over Harry, charging at the figure.

The pain in Harry's head was so bad he fell to his knees. It took a minute or two to pass. When he looked up, the figure had gone. A centaur was standing over him, not Ronan or Bane; this one looked younger; he had white-blond hair and a palomino body.

"Are you all right?" said the centaur, pulling Harry to his feet.

Harry wasn't entirely sure how to answer. "I'll be fine. What was that?!" Harry asked trying to shake off the pain.

The centaur didn't answer. He had astonishingly blue eyes, like pale sapphires. He looked carefully at Harry, his eyes lingering on the scar that stood out, livid, on Harry's forehead. "You are the Potter boy," he said. "You had better get back to Hagrid. The forest is not safe at this time, especially for you. Can you ride? It will be quicker this way."

"My name is Firenze," he added, as he lowered himself onto his front legs so that Harry could clamber onto his back. There was suddenly a sound of more galloping from the other side of the

clearing. Ronan and Bane came bursting through the trees, their flanks heaving and sweaty.

After a volatile and confusing interaction with Ronan and Bane they seemed to be getting closer and closer to the path. They were passing through a particularly dense patch of trees, however, when Firenze suddenly stopped.

"Harry Potter, do you know what unicorn blood is used -for?"

"No," said Harry, startled by the odd question. "We've only used the horn and tail hair in Potions."

"That is because it is a monstrous thing, to slay a unicorn," said Firenze. "Only one who has nothing to lose, and everything to gain, would commit such a crime. The blood of a unicorn will keep you alive, even if you are an inch from death, but at a terrible price. You have slain something pure and defenseless to save yourself, and you will have but a half-life, a cursed life, from the moment the blood touches your lips."

Harry stared at the back of Firenze's head, which was dappled silver in the moonlight. "But who'd be that desperate?" he wondered aloud. "If you're going to be cursed forever, deaths better, isn't it?"

"It is," Firenze agreed, "unless all you need is to stay alive long enough to drink something else, something that will bring you back to full strength and power, something that will mean you can never die. Mr. Potter, do you know what is hidden in the school at this very moment?"

"The Stone!" Harry exclaimed. He didn't what it meant, but to Firenze it was important.

Harry was about to ask when Hagrid came bursting through the foliage with Ron and Fang. "Oh Harry, Are you alright?" Hagrid asked clearly catching his breath.

"I'm fine," said Harry, hardly knowing what he was saying. "The unicorn's dead, Hagrid, it's in that clearing back there."

"This is where I leave you," Firenze murmured as Hagrid hurried off to examine the unicorn. "You are safe now."

Harry slid off his back.

"Good luck, Harry Potter," said Firenze. "The planets have been read wrongly before now, even by centaurs. I hope this is one of those times." He turned and cantered back into the depths of the forest, leaving Harry shivering behind him.


	20. The Man with Two Faces

It was sweltering hot, especially in the large classroom where they did their written papers. They had been given special, new quills for the exams, which had been bewitched with an AntiCheating spell.

They had practical exams as well. Professor Flitwick called them one by one into his class to see if they could make a pineapple tapdance across a desk. Professor McGonagall watched them turn a mouse into a snuffbox. Points were given for how pretty the snuffbox was, but taken away if it had whiskers.

Snape made them all nervous, breathing down their necks while they tried to remember how to make a Forgetfulness potion. Harry did the best he could, trying to ignore the stabbing pains in his forehead, which had been bothering him ever since his trip into the forest. His recurring Nightmares didn't help, not now that they included hooded figure dripping blood in it.

Their very last exam was History of Magic. One hour of answering questions about batty old wizards who'd invented self-stirring cauldrons and they'd be free, free for a whole wonderful week until their exam results came out. Harry had already planned to use that week to write to Ginny for the first time.

When the ghost of Professor Binns told them to put down their quills and roll up their parchment, Harry couldn't help cheering with the rest.

Harry walked out of his last exam and felt like collapsing on the closest bench. With an over dramatic sigh he dropped his bag and slid on to the bench. "We did it." Harry said confidently as Draco and Pansy sat down next to him. "Its over."

Everyone smiled. A pair of 5th year walked by and snickered at them. "Just wait for your OWLs."

Harry spent the remainder of his afternoon with Hermione crafting a letter to Ginny. They needed it not so sound flirty, but more than friendly. They spent almost an hour agonizing over the details before Harry finally wrote out the good copy and sent it off with a loner owl from Hogwarts. "Best not to terrify her with Balthazar quite yet." Harry said with a smirk

The rest of the day was filled with Celebrating in the Common Room. Eventually the older students who wouldn't have their exams till later the week kicked them out. So, Harry, Draco, Pansy, Theodore, and Blaise found themselves wandering Hogwarts. They spent the full day just goofing off and avoiding staff members.

By the time dinner rolled around Harry was famished. He had played til he was hungry and was now planning on eating til he was tired.

Harry was confused. He stood in the middle of the Great Hall. All the tables and benches had been removed. Even the staff table was gone. He watched in silence. Where he expected to se Dumbledore's podium was the Mirror of Erised. Harry looked around to see if anyone else was there. When he looked back he saw someone on the ground in front of the mirror. It was a man writhing in pain.

It was Quirrell. "Please, no more." He pleaded to Harry. "Please. I'll get it. I'll get you the stone. Dumbledore won't be back until morning. Even if someone notices the Mirror is gone-" But was cut off. Harry now realised that he wasn't pleading with Harry but someone standing in the same place as Harry.

Harry felt himself cast a spell and Quirrell burst into strangled sobs of pain. This continued on and on. There was no end to it. Finally did the caster stop. "Harry Potter?" a voice said as Quirrell looked directly at Harry.

"Help me!" Quirrell shouted

Harry awoke in a start. He was sweating and his scar was throbbing. It didn't hurt but it was making its presence known to Harry. He wasn't sure if what had just happened was real or not. He needed to save Quirrell.

He got dressed and grabbed his invisibility cloak. He had gotten used to sneaking out of the common room and making his way to the library, so a trip to the Great Hall wasn't that much of a stretch.

By the he reached the foyer he found the Great Hall wide open. Light was beaming into the hallway. "We know you're there Potter!" someone shouted from within the Great Hall. Harry cursed under his breath. He removed his invisibility cloak and tucked it under his robes.

As he entered the Great Hall he found that it was exactly like his dream. All the tables and chairs were gone and the mirror was right in front of him. The only differences is that all the candles were lit and instead of cowering on the floor Quirrell was standing in front of the mirror back turned to Harry.

"Come along Potter, we don't have all day." Quirrell barked at him. Harry was so confused not to walk forward.

As Harry approached Quirrell snapped his fingers. Ropes sprang out of thin air and wrapped themselves tightly around Harry.

"You're too nosy to live, Potter." Quirrell said as he bent around the mirror, inspecting it from all angle. "Scurrying around the school on Halloween like that, for all I knew you'd seen me coming to look at what was guarding the Stone."

"You let the troll in?"

"Certainly. I have a special gift with trolls. Had you followed me past the Trap Door, you would seen what I did to the one in the chamber back there." Quirrell bragged. "Unfortunately, while everyone else was running around looking for it, Snape, who already suspected me, went straight to the third floor to head me off and not only did my troll fail to beat you to death, that three-headed dog didn't even manage to bite Snape's leg off properly."

Halloween night replayed in Harry's head. It was starting to make sense.

"Now, wait quietly, Potter. I need to examine this interesting mirror. It was only then that Harry realized what was standing behind Quirrell. "This mirror is the key to finding the Stone," Quirrell murmured, tapping his way around the frame. "Trust Dumbledore to come up with something like this... but he's in London... I'll be far away by the time he gets back..."

All Harry could think of doing was to keep Quirrell talking and stop him from concentrating on the mirror. "I saw you and Snape in the forest -" he blurted out.

"Yes," said Quirrell idly, walking around the mirror to look at the back. "He was on to me by that time, trying to find out how far I'd got. He suspected me all along. Tried to frighten me, as though he could, when I had Lord Voldemort on my side..."

Quirrell came back out from behind the mirror and stared hungrily into it. "I see the Stone... I'm presenting it to my master... but where is it?" Harry struggled against the ropes binding him, but they didn't give. He had to keep Quirrell from giving his whole attention to the mirror.

He had an idea. It all depend on how much Quirrell knew about Harry. It was a risk, but one he had to take. "But Snape always seemed to hate me so much."

"Oh, he does," said Quirrell casually, "heavens, yes. He was at Hogwarts with your father, didn't you know? They loathed each other. But he never wanted you dead. In fact I'd say you've lessened his ire since the year began. He doesn't spend nearly half as much time berating you behind your back anymore. "

"But I heard you a few days ago, sobbing - I thought Snape was threatening you..."

For the first time, a spasm of fear flitted across Quirrell's face. "Sometimes," he said, "I find it hard to follow my master's instructions, he is a great wizard and I am weak"

Harry didn't understand. But his mouth got the better of him. "You mean he was there in the classroom with you?" Harry gasped.

"He is with me wherever I go," said Quirrell quietly. "I met him when I traveled around the world. A foolish young man I was then, full of ridiculous ideas about good and evil. Lord Voldemort showed me how wrong I was. There is no good and evil, there is only power, and those too weak to seek it... Since then, I have served him faithfully, although I have let him down many times. He has had to be very hard on me."

Quirrell shivered suddenly. "He does not forgive mistakes easily. When I failed to steal the stone from Gringotts, he was most displeased. He punished me... decided he would have to keep a closer watch on me..." Quirrell's voice trailed away. Harry was remembering his trip to Diagon

Alley -how could he have been so stupid? He'd seen Quirrell there that very day, shaken hands with him in the Leaky Cauldron. Quirrell cursed under his breath.

"I don't understand... is the Stone inside the mirror? Should I break it?"

Harry's mind was racing. 'What I want more than anything else in the world at the moment, he

thought, is to find the Stone before Quirrell does. So if I look in the mirror, I should see myself finding it, which means I'll see where it's hidden! But how can I look without Quirrell realizing what I'm up to?

He tried to edge to the left, to get in front of the glass without Quirrell noticing, but the ropes around his ankles were too tight: he tripped and fell over. Quirrell ignored him. He was still talking to himself. "What does this mirror do? How does it work? Help me, Master!"

And to Harry's horror, a voice answered. It was the same voice from his nightmare. The voice seemed to come from Quirrell himself.

"Use the boy... Use the boy..."

Quirrell rounded on Harry.

"Yes - Potter - come here."

He clapped his hands once, and the ropes binding Harry fell off. Harry got slowly to his feet.

"Come here," Quirrell repeated. "Look in the mirror and tell me what you see."

Harry walked toward him. 'I must lie', he thought desperately. 'I must look and lie about what I

see, that's all.'

Quirrell moved close behind him. Harry breathed in the funny smell that seemed to come from Quirrell's turban. He closed his eyes, stepped in front of the mirror, and opened them again. To his own surprised he didn't see the stone. There was nothing about its hiding place or how he could get it.

All he saw was Ginny Weasley. He had his arm around her as she smiled and looked at him. She was in a Slytherin Uniform. Behind Harry was a furious Ron Weasley. He looked like he was on the brink of tears. Then it dawned on Harry. Turning Ginny to Slytherin had been his goal for most of the school year. It shouldn't be surprising.

"Well?" Quirrell snapped at him. "What do you see?"

Harry smiled. He wouldn't have to lie. "I, I see myself with Ginny Weasley. I've convinced her to join Slytherin House." He turned look at Quirrell who returned his gaze. Quirrell glared deeply into his eyes.

The high voice spoke again.

"Let me speak to him... face-to-face..."

Quirrell grimaced as the voice spoke. "Master, you are not strong enough!" he attempted.

"I have strength enough... for this..."

Harry felt as if he was trapped to the spot. He couldn't move a muscle. Petrified, he watched as Quirrell reached up and began to unwrap his turban. What was going on? The turban fell away. Quirrell's head looked strangely small without it. Then he turned slowly on the spot.

Harry would have screamed, but he couldn't make a sound. Where there should have been a back to Quirrell's head, there was a face, the most terrible face Harry had ever seen. It was chalk white with glaring red eyes and slits for nostrils, like a snake.

"Harry Potter..." it whispered.

Harry tried to take a step backward but his legs wouldn't move. "See what I have become?" the face said. "Mere shadow and vapor ... I have form only when I can share another's body... but there have always been those willing to let me into their hearts and minds... Unicorn blood has strengthened me, these past weeks... you saw faithful Quirrell drinking it for me in the forest... and once I have the Elixir of Life, I will be able to create a body of my own... Now... what did you mean exactly about this Ginny Weasley?"

Harry swallowed. Unable to stop himself Harry was compelled to explain everything he had down and his motivations for preemptively converting Ginny to Slytherin. He couldn't stop himself.

The face on the back of Quirrell's head had an ever present smile. "I must say Harry, I am extremely surprised. That is quite the undertaking for someone of your age. And you have accomplished all that you have. I find myself curious to see if you'll succeed. But not that curious."

Harry seemed to regain his sense. He turned to run away as he saw Quirrell advance on him menacingly. He grabbed Harry on the shoulder and spun him around. Harry attempted to tear Quirrell's hand off him and was utterly shocked when he watched the hand turn to dust and crumbled.

At once, a needle-sharp pain seared across Harry's scar; his head felt as though it was about to split in two; he yelled, struggling with all his might The pain in his head lessened. he looked around wildly to see where Quirrell had gone, and saw him hunched in pain, looking at his fingers - they were blistering before his eyes.

"Seize him! SEIZE HIM!" shrieked Voldemort again, and Quirrell lunged, knocking Harry clean off his feet' landing on top of him, both hands around Harry's neck - Harry's scar was almost blinding him with pain, yet he could see Quirrell howling in agony.

"Master, I cannot hold him - my hands - my hands!" Quirrell screamed holding up what was left of his left hand, his right having completely crumpled

"The Mirror you Fool! The Mirror is what's important!" Voldemort shouted at Quirrell. "Take the Mirror!"

Harry could only watch as Quirrell ran to the mirror and started arching wand in wide, full body circles. Harry watched as all the candles in the Great Hall grew. Each flame was no longer a few inches at best but a few feet. Suddenly all the flames dove at Harry who only managed to jump out of the way in time. The mass of fire then went towards Quirrell and the Mirror. The Fire surrounded him as he seemed to direct it with his wand.

Harry saw Quirrell speaking an enchantment but couldn't hear him over the roaring flames. Finally the fire had completely covered Quirrell and the Mirror.

The last thing Harry remember was running for the Great Hall doors as the mass of fire exploded towards him.

Something gold was glinting just above him. The Snitch! He tried to catch it, but his arms were too heavy.

He blinked. It wasn't the Snitch at all. It was a pair of glasses. How strange. He blinked again. The smiling face of Albus Dumbledore swam into view above him.

"Good afternoon, Harry," said Dumbledore. Harry stared at him. Then he remembered: "Sir! The Stone! It was Quirrell! He's got the Stone! Sir, quick"

"Calm yourself, dear boy," said Dumbledore. "Quirrell does not have the Stone persay. He is in possession of a most powerful lockbox with the stone inside."

"But Voldemort, He's"

"Harry, please relax, or Madam Pomfrey will have me thrown out. Harry swallowed and looked around him. He realized he must be in the hospital wing. He was lying in a bed with white linen sheets, and next to him was a table piled high with what looked like half the candy shop.

"Tokens from your friends and admirers," said Dumbledore, beaming. "What happened down in the Great Hall between you and Professor Quirrell is a complete secret, so, naturally, the whole school knows. I believe your friends Misters Fred and George Weasley were responsible for trying to send you a toilet seat. No doubt they thought it would amuse you. Madam Pomfrey, however, felt it might not be very hygienic, and confiscated it."

"How long have I been in here?" Harry asked feeling sore.

"No more than a day. Your numerous friends have been by and each time they had to ushered out by Madam Pomfrey" Dumbledore explained with a knowing smile.

"But sir, the Stone" Harry insisted

"I see you are not to be distracted. Very well, the Stone. Professor Quirrell has managed to escape with the Mirror of Erised, which locked within, is the Sorcerer's Stone." Dumbledore explained

"Its gone?" said Harry blankly. "But your friend - Nicolas Flamel -"

"Oh, you know about Nicolas?" said Dumbledore, sounding quite delighted. "You did do the thing properly, didn't you? Well, Nicolas and I have had a little chat, and agreed it's all for the best, obvious new ownership aside."

"But that means he and his wife will die, won't they?" Harry asked with a certain amount of sadness

"They have enough Elixir stored to set their affairs in order and then, yes, they will die." Dumbledore smiled at the look of amazement on Harry's face.

"To one as young as you, I'm sure it seems incredible, but to Nicolas and Perenelle, it really is like going to bed after a very, very long day. After all, to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure. You know, the Stone is really not such a wonderful thing. As much money and life as you could want! The two things most human beings would choose above all. The trouble is, humans do have a knack of choosing precisely those things that are worst for them."

Harry lay there, lost for words. Dumbledore hummed a little and smiled at the ceiling.

"Sir?" said Harry. "I've been thinking... sir - even if the Stone is secure in the mirror, Vol-, I mean, You-Know- Who -"

"Call him Voldemort, Harry. Always use the proper name for things. Fear of a name increases fear of the thing itself."

"Yes, sir. Well, Voldemort's going to do everything he can to get the stone out of the mirror isn't he sir?" Harry was feeling the pit in his stomach clench. Guilt was building in him.

"No, Harry, he has not. He is still out there somewhere, perhaps looking for a way to retrieve the stone without damaging it... not being truly alive, he cannot be killed. Nevertheless, Harry, while you may only have delayed his return to power, it will merely take someone else who is prepared to fight what seems a losing battle next time, and if he is delayed again, and again, why, he may never return to power."

Harry nodded, but stopped quickly, because it made his head hurt. Then he said, "Sir, there are some other things I'd like to know, if you can tell me... things I want to know the truth about..."

"The truth." Dumbledore sighed. "It is a beautiful and terrible thing, and should therefore be treated with great caution. However, I shall answer your questions unless I have a very good reason not to, in which case I beg you'll forgive me. I shall not, of course, lie."

"Well... Voldemort said that he only killed my mother because she tried to stop him from killing me. But why would he want to kill me in the first place?"

Dumbledore sighed very deeply this time. "Alas, the first thing you ask me, I cannot tell you. Not today. Not now. You will know, one day... put it from your mind for now, Harry. When you are older... I know you hate to hear this... when you are ready, you will know."

And Harry knew it would be no good to argue. "But why couldn't Quirrell touch me?"

"Your mother died to save you. If there is one thing Voldemort cannot understand, it is love. He didn't realize that love as powerful as your mother's for you leaves its own mark. Not a scar, no visible sign... to have been loved so deeply, even though the person who loved us is gone, will give us some protection forever. It is in your very skin. Quirrell, full of hatred, greed, and ambition, sharing his soul with Voldemort, could not touch you for this reason. It was agony to touch a person marked by something so good."

Dumbledore now became very interested in a bird out on the windowsill, which gave Harry time to dry his eyes on the sheet. When he had found his voice again, Harry said, "And the invisibility cloak - do you know who sent it to me?"

"Ah - your father happened to leave it in my possession, and I thought you might like it." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "Useful things... your father used it mainly for sneaking off to the kitchens to steal food when he was here."

"And there's something else..."

"There usually is." Dumbledore said with a smile

"Quirrell said Professor Snape. Quirrell said he hates me because he hated my father. Is that true?"

"Well, they did rather detest each other. Not unlike yourself and . And then, your father did something Snape could never forgive."

"What?"

"He saved his life."

"What?"

"Yes..." said Dumbledore dreamily. "Funny, the way people's minds work, isn't it? Professor Snape couldn't bear being in your father's debt... I do believe he worked so hard to protect you this year because he felt that would make him and your father even. Then he could go back to

hating your father's memory in peace..."

Harry tried to understand this but it made his head pound, so he stopped. "And sir, there's one more thing..."

"Just the one?"

"How does one get the Stone out of the mirror?" Harry asked feeling a little disappointed that he couldn't retrieve the stone. He had to remind himself that if he had, then Quirrell might have been able to take it from him.

"Ah, now, I'm glad you asked me that. It was one of my more brilliant ideas, and between you and me, that's saying something. You see, only one who wanted to find the Stone - find it, but not use it - would be able to get it, otherwise they'd just see themselves making gold or drinking Elixir of Life. My brain surprises even me sometimes... Now, enough questions. I suggest you make a start on these sweets. Ah! Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans! I was unfortunate enough in my youth to come across a vomit flavored one, and since then I'm afraid I've rather lost my liking for them - but I think I'll be safe with a nice toffee, don't you?"

He smiled and popped the golden-brown bean into his mouth. Then he choked and said, "Alas! Ear wax!"

Dumbledore made his way to leave but stopped after a few steps. "Harry, while I do marvel at youth and friendship. I must warn you about claiming encounters with Voldemort." Dumbledore said looking over his spectacles. "There are many that would see you're confronting of the Dark Lord as an insult. Even those you are closest to may not understand your reasoning. I would ask you to mention his involvement with what happened." Dumbledore looked a little said when he asked for Harry's silence.

"I, I won't mention Voldemort, sir." Harry said not fully understanding.

Dumbledore smiled and left.

Over the next two day Harry was visited by all his friends and gave them an heavily edited accounting of what had happened in the great hall. To anyone that asked it was only Quirrell. Harry made his way down to the end-of-year feast alone that night. He had been held up by Madam Pomfrey's fussing about, insisting on giving him one last checkup, so the Great Hall was already full. It was decked out in the Slytherin colors of green and silver to celebrate Slytherin's

winning the house cup for the seventh year in a row. A huge banner showing the Slytherin serpent covered the wall behind the High Table. When Harry walked in there was a sudden hush, and then everybody started talking loudly at once. He slipped into a seat between Theodore and Pansy at the Slytherin table and tried to ignore the fact that people were standing up to look at him.

Fortunately, Dumbledore arrived moments later. The babble died away. "Another year gone!" Dumbledore said cheerfully. "And I must trouble you with an old man's wheezing waffle before we sink our teeth into our delicious feast. What a year it has been! Hopefully your heads are all a little fuller than they were... you have the whole summer ahead to get them nice and empty before next year starts...

"Now, as I understand it, the house cup here needs awarding, and the points stand thus: In fourth place, Hufflepuff, with three hundred and fifty-two; in third Gryffindor, with three hundred and eighty-five twelve points; in second Ravenclaw has four hundred and twenty-six and Slytherin, four hundred and seventy- two."

A storm of cheering and stamping broke out from the Slytherin table. Harry cheered and shouted as everyone celebrated in there own manner. Draco seemed to delight in banging his goblet on the table. Pansy pinched her fingers and whistled. And Theodore and Blaise threw their arms over each other's shoulder and laughed.

"Yes, Yes, well done, Slytherin," said Dumbledore. "However, recent events must be taken into account."

The room went very still. The Slytherins' smiles faded a little. "Ahem," said Dumbledore. "I have a few last-minute points to dish out. Let me see. Yes… to Mr. Harry Potter..." said Dumbledore. The room went deadly quiet. "In light of odds most harrowing and for overwhelming opposition one must never forget that true cunning and bravery are simpler than are given credit for. For pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award Slytherin house sixty points."

It didn't change their victory in the slightest but the cheers and admiration Harry got from his house made the night even better. In fact, it was the best evening of Harry's life, better than winning at Quidditch, or Christmas, or knocking out mountain trolls... he would never, ever forget tonight.

Harry had almost forgotten that the exam results were still to come, but come they did. To no surprise, both he had passed with good marks; Hermione, of course, had the best grades of the first years. Even Crabbe and Goyle had managed passing grades.

And suddenly, their wardrobes were empty, their trunks were packed, notes were handed out to all students, warning them not to use magic over the holidays ("I always hope they'll forget to give us these," said Fred Weasley sadly); Hagrid was there to take them down to the fleet of boats that sailed across the lake; they were boarding the Hogwarts Express; talking and laughing as the countryside became greener and tidier; eating Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans as they sped past Muggle towns; pulling off their wizard robes and putting on jackets and coats; pulling into platform nine and three-quarters at King's Cross Station. It took quite a while for them all to get off the platform. A wizened old guard was up by the ticket barrier, letting them go through the gate in twos and threes so they didn't attract attention by all bursting out of a solid wall at once and alarming the Muggles.

"I'll tell Mother and Father I want to have you over for the summer. The Manor gets dreadfully boring at times." Draco said with a drawl. "You'll love it I'm sure. Nothing like what those filthy muggles call home I sure."

Harry smiled and chuckled. "Thanks," said Harry, "I'll need something to look forward to." People

jostled them as they moved forward toward the gateway back to the Muggle world. Some of them called: "Bye, Harry!" "See you, Potter!"

"Better get used to that every year. You're everyone's favorite person." Draco said.

"Not where I'm going, I promise you," said Harry.

Just as he passed through the gateway he caught a glimpse of a certain group of red heads. "Go on, Draco. I've got some more farewells. Don't forget to write."

Draco gave a knowing smile and disappeared into the crowd.

Harry made his way to the Weasleys and called out to Fred and George. They were about to call back when they were both pushed aside as a hand pointed him out. "There he is, Mom, there he is, look!"

It was Ginny Weasley, the youngest of the Weasleys and the focus of Harry's year. She was cuter than he had imagine. "Harry Potter!" she squealed. "Look, Mom! I can see-"

"Be quiet, Ginny, and it's rude to point." Mrs. Weasley smiled down at him "Busy year?" she said.

"Very," said Harry as he shared a mischievous grin with the twins.

"Ready, are you?" It was Uncle Vernon, still purple-faced, still mustached, still looking

furious at the nerve of Harry, carrying an owl in a cage in a station full of ordinary people. Behind him stood Aunt Petunia and Dudley, looking terrified at the very sight of Harry.

"You must be Harry's family!" said Mrs. Weasley.

"In a manner of speaking," said Uncle Vernon. "Hurry up, boy, we haven't

got all day." He walked away.

Harry hung back for a last word with the Weasleys. "I'm so grateful to Fred and George. Though not always

"See you over the summer, then."

"Hope you have - er - a good holiday," said Hermione, looking uncertainty after Uncle Vernon, shocked that anyone could be so unpleasant.

"Oh, I will," said Harry, and they were surprised at the grin that was

spreading over his face. "They don't know we're not allowed to use magic

at home. I'm going to have a lot of fun with Dudley this summer..."


	21. Just the Author's Note

I can see from the follows and favorites that at least some people liked my work. To be brief and blunt, I'm looking for a Beta for this work and the future 6 Books.

PMs are good, Discord is better. Dezmar-sama#6079

I've got the Outline for Book 2 Finished, I will greatly appreciate any help as it will expedite the process.

All applicants are welcome! :P


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